Ireland’s historic island, Spike Island Cork, has reopened to visitors with some brand new offerings. The island attraction has been a huge hit since its opening in 2016, when over seven million was spent on restoring the fort and prisons original buildings. Visitors today can explore prison cells, military fortifications, social housing, and over a dozen separate museums and exhibitions, as well as walking trails. This year visitors can explore a temporary exhibition entitled ‘Old Cork in colour’, which will showcase over thirty old black and white images brought back to life by renowned authors Professor John Breslin and Dr Sarah-Anne Buckley, known for the bestselling ‘Old Ireland in Colour’ books. Images from Cork City, Kinsale, Cobh and Clonakilty will be on show, with the exhibition taking place in the island’s former church gallery space, Mitchel Hall. Many of the images are being colorised for the first-ever time, including the last ever photograph of Michael Collins, taken prior to his shooting in 1922.
The island has also added new walking trails that allow visitors to get up close to the homes of the former island village, which has been abandoned since the late 1980’s. The pathways also allow visitors to weave in and out of the island nature and wildlife, with the island famous for its unique bird populations. Boats travel weekends and half terms until the island moves to seven day opening in May. www.spikeislandcork.ie
