Back Inis Píc Breton Illa Spike Catalan Spike Island (pulo sa Irland) CEB Spike Island (Irland) German Isla Spike Spanish Spike Island (Cork konderria) Basque Inis Píc (Cuan Chorcaí) Irish Spike Island (County Cork) Italian Spike Island i County Cork NN Spike Island (ö i Irland) Swedish
Native name: Inis Pic | |
|---|---|
 Gates of Fort Mitchel on Spike Island | |
  Spike Island Spike Island in Ireland | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Cork Harbour |
| Coordinates | 51°50′06″N 08°17′06″W / 51.83500°N 8.28500°W |
| Area | 0.41 km2 (0.16 sq mi) |
| Length | 0.8 km (0.5 mi) |
| Width | 0.5 km (0.31 mi) |
| Administration | |
| County | County Cork |
Spike Island (Irish: Inis Píc) is an island of 103 acres (42 ha)[1] in Cork Harbour, Ireland. Originally the site of a monastic settlement,[2][3] the island is dominated by an 18th-century bastion fort now named Fort Mitchel.
The island's strategic location within the harbour meant it was used at times for defence and as a prison. Since the early 21st century the island has been developed as a heritage tourist attraction,[4] with €5.5 million investment in exhibition and visitor spaces[5] and accompanying tourism marketing.[6] There were in excess of 81,000 visitors to the island during 2019, a 21% increase on 2018 numbers.[7][8] Spike Island was named top European tourist attraction at the 2017 World Travel Awards.[9]
- ^ "Hopes for Alcatraz-style tourism after handover of Cork's Spike Island". Irish Times. 29 July 2009.
- ^ "History - Island sanctuary". Spikeislandcork.ie. Archived from the original on 20 February 2015. Retrieved 30 April 2015.
- ^ Coleman, James (1893). "The story of Spike Island (with note by G. E. H. Barrett-Hamilton)". Journal of the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society. 1. II. Cork Historical and Archaeological Society: 1–8.
- ^ "Plan to unlock potential of 'Ireland's Alcatraz'". Irish Independent. 29 July 2009.
- ^ "Spike Island opens to the public today and we look back at its darkest history". Irish Examiner. 4 June 2016. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
- ^ Esther Hayden (2 July 2016). "Ancient East TV ad showcases beauty of Hook Head". Independent.ie. Retrieved 4 September 2016.
- ^ "Spike Island visitor numbers increased by 10,000 in 2019". irishexaminer.com. Irish Examiner. 29 January 2020. Retrieved 20 May 2020.
- ^ "Spike Island looks to reach next level with a number of projects planned for 2019". irishexaminer.com. Irish Examiner. 24 October 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
- ^ "Spike Island named Europe's top tourist attraction". Evening Echo. 30 September 2017. Retrieved 1 October 2017.