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Celebrating Independence day, 2022!

On July 17th 2022 a fireworks display will light up Spike Island and Cork Harbour, as we celebrate our Independence day on the island.  It was July 11th 1938 that Spike Island was eventually handed from British to Irish control, a huge seventeen years after Irish Independence.  The islands fort and strategic setting were considered so important by the British, they insisted on keeping the location as part of the Cork Harbour forts, and other treaty ports in Berehaven and Lough Swilly.  It took seventeen years and fierce negotiation during a trade war between Ireland and Britain to secure Spike Island’s return in 1938, just in time to save the remote outpost from German bombers and certain destruction.

Fireworks, festivities and family fun.

Spike Island celebrates the momentous occasion of the handover from Britain to Ireland with a special night of entertainment.  You can hop on the ferry for the short 12 minute ferry crossing, where a guide will meet you to take you on a special history tour.  We share the rich story of the handover in detail, and our incredible 1300 years of Irish history.

Visitors can then enjoy our several museums and exhibitions, and enjoy scenic walks around our beautiful natural island.  In the fort see the 1850’s punishment block, the modern prison cells, our Cork Harbour interactive space, the Independence exhibition and more.

Discover on the outer island the abandoned village, the convict cemetery, the old beautiful beaches with harbour town views and amazing nature and wildlife.

On this special night, you can enjoy performances by various musicians in pop up locations, face painting for kids, additional guided elements and of course the amazing fireworks display at the end.  Over 1300 fireworks will light the sky, a tribute to the each of the 1300 convicts who never left the confines of our harsh Victorian and Modern prisons.

Learn more – 1938 handover.

• Learn more about this momentous event here – https://www.spikeislandcork.ie/independence-day-1938/
• Book tickets to this amazing event here – https://spikeislandcork.digitickets.co.uk/category/41662

Discover culture and art at Spike Island Cork.

Spike Island’s annual calendar of exhibitions is now available to view for 2022.  Every year, Spike Island brings new and interesting exhibits to its unique display spaces.  Discover whats new for 2022 here…

Old Cork in Colour –

Working with the amazing team behind the ‘Old Ireland in Colour’ books, Spike Island presents ‘Old Cork in Colour’ – over thirty images from all across the County of Cork restored and colorized, many for the first time.  See the last ever image of Michael Collins taken 30 minutes before his death, or the burning of Cork.  There are social scenes like a Blarney Hurler in 1890 or water sports on the River Lee in early 1900.  And historic moments like the building of Fastnet Lighthouse in 1900 or military and social scenes on Spike Island from the 18th century.  Join us in 2022 for this striking exhibition;

Old Cork In Colour

Hold Fast – Backwater Artists Group studio member Seán Hanrahan

For the Cork Harbour Festival period we have beautiful work by Seán Hanrahan, who presents a body of work in two of the cells of the former Punishment Block in Spike Island. The work reflects on the maritime theme of tattoos, which are perhaps one of the most recognizable visual forms, when we think of the culture of sailors. Tattoos are also very much part of prison culture. The exhibition will reference popular images of tattoos, such as the nautical star, anchor and swallows and explore the correlation between both cultures, in relation to this theme.  Learn more here;

Hold Fast

Exhibition of prisoner artwork by the Education Unit, Cork Prison – Story

Continuing an annual tradition, visitors can enjoy artwork created by prisoners presented by the Education Unit of Cork Prison.  With the theme of ‘Story’ for 2022, get a fascinating insight into the minds of the incarcerated who complete artwork as part of their rehabilitation.