The annual Spike Island 5km Race is back for 2026 – and it’s ready to take over Ireland’s infamous prison island once again!
Mark your calendars for Saturday, 18th April, as this much-loved event returns for another unforgettable day of energy, community spirit and that iconic Spike Island backdrop. Whether you’re chasing a PB, jogging with friends, or soaking up the atmosphere, this is one date you won’t want to miss.
This unique event promises an adventure like no other – where else can you begin your race within the walls of a 200-year-old fortress before making your way around an iconic island surrounded by spectacular views of Cork Harbour.
Tickets are on sale now – secure your spot at one of the most popular races of the year! We can’t wait to see you at the starting line.
Get into the festive spirit at Spike Island this Christmas
Join us on Sunday, 7 December, for our annual Charity Christmas Concert, a heartwarming event organised by our Volunteers and staff.
As we celebrate the season of giving, all proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to Street Angels Cork. Expect a memorable afternoon of festive music from The Sonatinas Choir under the direction of Conductor Rachel O’Brien in the charming surrounds of our Mitchel Hall building.
Tickets are €20 and include not only entry to the festive concert but also your ferry journey and time to self-explore our island and fortress.
Special thanks to our ferry provider, Doyle Shipping Group, who have kindly sponsored the boat on the day, to our cafe provider, Centra Cobh who provide food and refreshments free of charge, and to The Sonatinas Choir who give up their time voluntarily as do our tour guides and staff.
Embrace the holiday spirit with us at Spike Island this Christmas.
Secure your tickets now and be part of a day filled with music, history, and the joy of giving.
Get ready for a spooktacular adventure like no other!
Join us at Spike Island this Halloween for the ultimate family-friendly event,
The Spookfest Trail.
Bring your little goblins and witches and hop on board the fun ferry, before embarking on a fang-tastic adventure through the mysterious Spike Island, where you will find areas of the ancient fortress and prison transformed into a realm of Halloween spookiness! Along with their families, the little ones can trick or treat their way around the fortress with our brand new Halloween themed quiz trail – keep an eye out for our friendly tour guides who will be handing out sweet treats along the way!
Once your trick or treating is complete, you can relax at our cafe and gift shop. And that’s not all, our historic island offers an array of museums and child-friendly exhibitions as well as scenic island walks.
Don’t miss out on this unique Halloween experience, where history meets spook-tacular fun! Get your costumes ready and join us for an afternoon of enchantment, exploration, and Halloween surprises – the Spike Island Spookfest Trail promises a memorable Halloween experience that will delight children and parents alike.
Brave the dark this October on the eerie grounds of Spike Island for a spine-chilling experience featuring renowned mentalist and escape artist, Dean Jacob.
You will explore the haunting corridors of an abandoned prison and enter underground tunnels once used for solitary confinement.
Dean will take you through a night of thrilling suspense and dark illusions with his brand new show, Possession.
Prepare to be captivated, unsettled, and amazed as you witness the unimaginable.
With mind-bending illusions, thrilling escapes, and eerie encounters, this Halloween experience is one you won’t want to miss!
Will you dare to face the sinister side of Spike Island?
Following the sell-out success of our earlier 2025 event, we’re delighted to announce a second Spike Island 5km Race for this year. Lace up your running shoes and join us on Saturday, 20th September, for an unforgettable run on Ireland’s infamous prison island.
This unique event promises an adventure like no other – where else can you begin your race within the walls of a 200-year-old fortress before making your way around an iconic island surrounded by spectacular views of Cork Harbour.
The race kicks off at approximately 5:25 pm, promising an adrenaline-fueled dash through the island’s scenic routes. Our dedicated marshals will be on hand to guide you and ensure you stay on track throughout.
After crossing the finish line, each participant will receive a special Spike Island medal, and there will be a special medal ceremony to celebrate your triumphs, with awards for the fastest male and female runners.
So what are you waiting for? Embrace the challenge and create lasting memories at Spike Island. Boats depart from Cobh at 4 pm and 4:45 pm, and spaces are limited for this unique race event.
Price per ticket: €27.95 Boat in: 5pm | Return: 8pm
Unsettled States
Tom Casey with PJ Coogan
The 2025 Spike Island Literary Festival opens with a gripping conversation between acclaimed author Tom Casey and Cork’s own PJ Coogan of 96FM.
Travelling from New York especially for the festival, Casey delves into the dark heart of international crime fiction with Unsettled States—his bold third novel exploring voyeurism, infidelity, murder, and moral decay. With a sharp eye for social commentary and unexpected flashes of humour, Casey draws on a lifetime of global experience as a former airline pilot and documentary co-producer to craft stories that are as thrilling as they are thought-provoking.
Described by Kurt Andersen as “as thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is fun,” Unsettled States promises to be the centre of a compelling discussion to open this year’s festival.
Tom Casey
Tom Casey’s unconventional exploration of voyeurism, infidelity, murder, and spiritual corruption is shot through with flashes of social commentary and humour.
Tom spent decades traversing the world as a professional airline pilot. In addition to flying passenger jets and writing fiction, he also co-produced a recent film documentary ‘Flying Boat’. Casey lives in Connecticut with his partner, Silvia Erskine, and Phoebe, their rescue dog. ‘Unsettled States‘ is his third novel.
“Unsettled States is as thoughtful and thought-provoking as it is fun.”— Kurt Andersen, author of Heyday
PJ Coogan
After over 30 years on radio in Cork as a journalist, presenter and analyst, PJ’s voice is instantly familiar across the City & County.
Since 2014 he has been the presenter of the successful “Opinion Line” show on Cork’s 96FM.
SPIKE ISLAND TO HOST RED BULL DRIFT EVENT THIS SUMMER
This summer, we are delighted to host Red Bull Drift Pursuit as they bring some of the biggest names in motorsport to our infamous prison island on Saturday 5th July.
Prepare for one of the biggest days in the Irish motorsport calendar as 16 of the country’s top drifters will go head to head in an event which promises to exhilarate seasoned drift fans and newcomers alike.
The unique course designed for this event will challenge drivers in speed management, car control, obstacle navigation, and the art of drift itself. Each heat will feature two cars competing simultaneously, adding an extra layer of excitement and suspense to the already thrilling event.
Emerging talent from the Irish drift scene will be rubbing shoulders with some of the biggest names in motorsport in Red Bull athletes Conor Shanahan and Josh McErlean. Both drivers will perform on the day, alongside Conor’s brother Jack, delivering explosive demos.
The event kicks off at 6.45pm, finishing at 8.30pm. Tickets are on sale now on the Red Bull website, priced at €45 for a standing ticket and €55 for a seated ticket. Ferry transfers from Ringaskiddy or Cobh are included in the ticket, with ferries running throughout the day.
Please note, tickets for this event are only available via the Red Bull website
Price per ticket: €27.95
Boat in: 12.30pm | Return: 5pm
Meet the Detectives
Patricia Gibney & Gill Perdue with Michelle Dunne
Join two of Ireland’s bestselling crime fiction authors, Patricia Gibney and Gill Perdue, in conversation with fellow author and festival curator Michelle Dunne for an unmissable discussion on mystery, suspense, and intrigue.
As part of the Spike Island Literary Festival, this gripping event delves into the minds behind some of the country’s most compelling crime fiction.
Expect lively discussion, behind-the-scenes insights into crafting crime fiction, and a chance to ask your own burning questions. Perfect for fans of twisty plots, gritty characters, and page-turning drama.
Pop-Up Reading
Michelle Teahan
Secrets and Lies
Amanda Cassidy, Michelle McDonagh with Fiona Gartland
Dive into the dark, twisting worlds of contemporary crime fiction with three gripping voices at Spike Island Literary Festival.
Amanda Cassidy and Michelle McDonagh explore the hidden truths, tangled secrets, and the lies that define their characters.
Join this compelling conversation to uncover how deception drives narrative tension and reveals the human condition in thrilling, unforgettable ways.
Amanda Cassidy
Amanda Cassidy is an Irish Times bestselling author, commissioning editor and former Sky News reporter.
Her debut novel, Breaking, was shortlisted for the 2023 CWA John Creasey (New Blood) Dagger Award, while her second novel, The Returned received widespread critical praise. The Perfect Place, Amanda’s third novel, published last year and was an instant Irish Times bestseller. She is a frequent contributor to national radio, print, and television, and holds a BA in European Studies from Trinity College Dublin.
When she’s not on a plane, you’ll find her in her cottage in Dublin where she lives with her family. The Stranger Inside, Amanda’s latest novel, will be published in August 2025.
Michelle Dunne
Michelle Dunne is a bestselling psychological thriller writer from Cork whose new thriller, A GOOD MOTHER, came out to rave reviews in April 25.
Michelle also wrote The Hotel Maid and The Good Girl, which saw its Czech language edition chosen as one of the 12 most exciting books to publish in Czech Republic in 2025. It launched in March at the annual Big Book Thursday event in Prague.
Michelle also wrote the Lindsey Ryan series of psychological thrillers, While Nobody is Watching and The Invisible. The series is currently in development for television and is inspired by Michelle’s own experiences as an infantry soldier and United Nations Peacekeeper.
Michelle is organiser and programmer of the Spike Island Literary Festival – a crime-themed festival set in Ireland’s very own Alcatraz. In 2024 she also joined the team at Dublin’s international crime writing festival, Murder One.
Fiona Gartland
Fiona Gartland is a crime writer and journalist from Dublin. Her latest psychological suspense novel, Under Her Care, is due for publication in April 2026 with Bloodhound Books.
She’s had a trilogy of thrillers published by Poolbeg, and has had short stories broadcast on RTÉ Radio and published in magazines, including literary quarterly, The Stinging Fly.
She worked for The Irish Times for 17 years where she focused on family law and crime court coverage, going on to become assistant news editor and then features section editor with the publication. She is married, with four grown-up children, enjoys long walks, great reads, and singing for fun.
Patricia Gibney
Patricia Gibney is a crime fiction author from Mullingar, Co. Westmeath, Ireland.
Her debut novel, The Missing Ones, was published by London based digital publisher, Bookouture, in March 2017.
To date fifteen Detective Lottie Parker books have been published in the series. More than 2.5 million Lottie Parker books have sold to date and has been translated into multiple languages.
Michelle McDonagh
Michelle McDonagh is the author of three rural noir novels. Her bestselling debut There’s Something I Have To Tell You was published in 2023, and her second bestseller Somebody Knows was shortlisted for the An Post Irish Book Awards in 2024. Her third book Some of This Is True was published in June 2025.
A journalist by trade and a native of Galway, Michelle now lives in Blarney, where she is married with three children and a very cute cavapoo.
Gill Perdue
Gill Perdue is the author of bestselling crime novel If I Tell which was nominated for Crime Novel of the Year in the An Post Book Awards 2022. If I Tell is the first in the Shaw and Darmody series of crime thrillers published by Penguin, set in the fictional Dublin suburb of Clonchapel, followed by, When They See Me.
Her hotly-anticipated third novel, The Night I Killed Him, came out in July 2025 with Marian Keys declaring it: ‘utterly UTTERLY magnificent!’
Gill lives in Rathfarnham with two rescue cats, one of which walks over her laptop when she’s working, and a mostly genial husband who makes good coffee.
Michelle Teahan
Michelle’s debut novel GO SEEK was shortlisted for the CWA New Blood/John Creasey Dagger and is under option to a top tier US producer and studio.
Her follow up novel KNOCK KNOCK was published in June 2024. Michelle is a qualified Medical Scientist but her passion has always been writing stories. She uses her writing to turn her greatest fears into fiction and creating female characters who are equipped to deal with them.
She lives in County Cork, Ireland with her husband, two young daughters and a giant ginger cat.
Price per ticket: €27.95
Boat in: 12.30pm | Return: 5pm
In Cold Blood
Nadine Matheson and Amy Jordan with Edel Coffey
Join three masters of crime fiction — Nadine Matheson, Amy Jordan, and Stuart Neville — for a gripping exploration of murder, morality, and the minds behind the mayhem.
In conversation with journalist and author Edel Coffey, this panel delves into the dark heart of crime writing: what draws us to the genre, how real-world violence influences fiction, and why we can’t look away.
Expect insight, intrigue, and a few chills as these acclaimed writers discuss the art of crafting compelling thrillers that hold up a mirror to society’s most unsettling truths.
Pop-up reading
Cónal Creedon
Close to Home
Andrea Mara, Michelle Dunne & C.L. Taylor with Sam Blake
Join bestselling crime writers Andrea Mara, Michelle Dunne, and C.L. Taylor for an unmissable conversation exploring the darkness that lurks just beneath the surface of everyday life.
From domestic suspense to psychological thrillers, these acclaimed authors delve into the secrets, fears, and tensions that unfold close to home.
Chaired by fellow author Sam Blake, this gripping panel will uncover how ordinary settings can become the backdrop for extraordinary crimes—and why the most chilling stories are often the ones that hit closest to home.
Expect thrilling insights and a behind the scenes look at building suspense.
Sam Blake
Sam Blake is a multiple No 1 bestselling Irish crime writer and has been shortlisted for Irish Crime Novel of the Year three times, and twice for Irish Teen and YA Novel of the Year.
Her second YA novel, Something’s About to Blow Up was Winner of the International Education Services Teen & YA Novel of the Year 2024. Her latest adult thriller, The Killing Sense, came out in January 2025 and is a No 1 bestseller.
Follow Sam on social @samblakebooks or find out more at www.samblakebooks.com, where you can join her Reader’s Club and receive her adult thriller High Pressure for free. Sam is the founder of Ireland’s International Crime Writing Festival, Murder One.
She is currently Chair of the board of the Society of Authors, and previously was Chair of Irish PEN and a board member of the Crime Writers Association.
Edel Coffey
Edel Coffey is an Irish novelist and journalist.
She has worked as an editor with the Irish Independent, and as a reporter and presenter with RTE Radio. She is a regular contributor to The Irish Times, and Books Editor with The Gloss magazine. Both of her novels have been number one bestsellers in Ireland and her debut novel Breaking Point won the An Post Irish Book Award for Crime Fiction Book Of The Year in 2022. Her third novel will be published next year.
Cónal Creedon
Cónal Creedon is an award winning novelist, playwright and documentary filmmaker.
Cónal’s recently published book, Art Imitating Life Imitating Death, was presented at the centre of Irish Studies at Zurich University, James Joyce Federation in 2020. It was subsequently published by Florence University Press. His collection of Award winning short stories Pancho and Lefty Ride Again (2021) has been Awarded One City One Book Award 2020. It holds the record of being the most borrowed adult fiction book at Cork City Libraries 2022.
His novel, Begotten Not Made (2018), has achieved literary award recognition: Winner of the Eric Hoffer Award USA 2020, The Bronze Award New Generation Book Award USA 2020; Finalist in the Montaigne [Most Thought-Provoking Book] Award USA 2020. Finalist The IAN Book of the Year Award 2022, Nominated for the Dublin International Book Award 2020; Book of the Year Irish Examiner; Top Books of the Year – Liveline RTÉ Irish National Radio.
Michelle Dunne
Michelle Dunne is a bestselling psychological thriller writer from Cork whose new thriller, A GOOD MOTHER, came out to rave reviews in April 25.
Michelle also wrote The Hotel Maid and The Good Girl, which saw its Czech language edition chosen as one of the 12 most exciting books to publish in Czech Republic in 2025. It launched in March at the annual Big Book Thursday event in Prague.
Michelle also wrote the Lindsey Ryan series of psychological thrillers, While Nobody is Watching and The Invisible. The series is currently in development for television and is inspired by Michelle’s own experiences as an infantry soldier and United Nations Peacekeeper.
Michelle is organiser and programmer of the Spike Island Literary Festival – a crime-themed festival set in Ireland’s very own Alcatraz. In 2024 she also joined the team at Dublin’s international crime writing festival, Murder One.
Amy Jordan
Amy Jordan lives with her husband and young children in Cork, Ireland. The Dark Hours is her international debut with HQ Stories, HarperCollins. It was also released in North America and Canada with Mira Books, and reviewed by The New York Times, who said “Jordan…writes Julia with particular fire, bringing us a woman who has chosen invisibility but who cannot escape what once made her visible.” Soon to be published in Germany with Piper Verlag, The Dark Hours was an instant Irish Times bestseller.
Previously writing as Amy Cronin, she released three crime thrillers with Irish publisher Poolbeg Press. Amy is a former civil servant and tutor at MTU, who now writes full time.
Andrea Mara
Andrea Mara is a number one Sunday Times, Irish Times and Kindle bestselling author, whose books have sold more than 750,000 copies across all formats.
Her most recent novel, Someone in the Attic, was a Sunday Times, Irish Times and Kindle bestseller. Her previous book, No One Saw a Thing, was a Sunday Times number one bestseller. She has been shortlisted for Irish Crime Novel of the Year for five of her books.
The TV adaptation of her 2021 book, All Her Fault, is in production, with Sarah Snook (Succession) playing the lead. Andrea lives in Dublin with her husband and three children.
Nadine Matheson
Nadine Matheson was born and raised in Deptford and now practises as a criminal defence lawyer. She won the City University Crime Writing competition, and she has an MA in Creative Writing.
The Jigsaw Man was her first crime novel and was loved by readers around the world. It was shortlisted for the Dead Good Reader and the Adult Diverse Book Awards in 2022 and it has been translated into fifteen languages.
Nadine is also the host of the podcast, The Conversation with Nadine Matheson.
C.L. Taylor
C.L. Taylor is an award winning Sunday Times bestselling author of ten gripping psychological thrillers including EVERY MOVE YOU MAKE, a Richard and Judy Book Club pick for autumn 2024, THE GUILTY COUPLE, (Richard and Judy Book Club 2023) and SLEEP (Richard and Judy Book Club 2019).
Her books have sold over two million copies in the UK alone, hit number one on Amazon Kindle, Audible, Kobo, iBooks and Google Play, and have been translated into over 30 languages and optioned for TV.
12 am – 4:30 pm
Price per ticket: €49.95
Boat in: 12 pm | Return: 4:30 pm
Fiction-writing Masterclass
with Louise Phillips
Join bestselling author and award-winning crime novelist Louise Phillips for an exclusive Fiction Writing Masterclass at the Spike Island Literary Festival.
Whether you’re a budding writer or polishing your manuscript, this session offers invaluable insight into the craft of compelling storytelling. Drawing on her expertise in character development, plot structure, and building suspense, Louise will guide participants through practical exercises and provide feedback to help elevate your writing.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn from one of Ireland’s leading voices in fiction, set against the atmospheric backdrop of Ireland’s infamous prison island.
Pitch the Agent
with Diana Beaumont & Nicky Lovick
Getting the all important pitch right is essential when it comes to getting your work noticed in the competitive world of publishing. Your cover letter essentially needs to be your “elevator pitch” and can lead an agent to decide whether yours is an idea they want to read more about.
This is your opportunity to hear feedback from leaders in the industry, Diana Beaumont of DHH literary agency & Nicky Lovick with WGM Atlantic and also to learn from those around you.
You will be required to bring a printed copy of your pitch which should be no more than 150 words. This will be read out anonymously (if preferred) during the event.
Diana Beaumont
Diana joined DHH Literary Agency in 2024. She started agenting with Rupert Heath Literary Agency in 2011 before moving to UTA. Before that she was senior commissioning editor at Transworld.
Diana was chosen as one of The Bookseller’s Rising Stars of 2012, was a nominee for RNA Agent of the Year 2019, and was shortlisted for Literary Agent of the Year 2022 at the British Book Awards.
Her list includes a wide range of bestselling and prize-winning authors in the UK and internationally.
Nicky Lovick
Nicky has worked as an editor in-house for big and small publishers for almost a decade and has freelanced continuously for twenty years.
Currently working for Penguin, Random House, transworld, BBC Books, Orion, John Blake, Blink, Bonnier, Quercus, Profile and Atlantic, among many others. Literary agent at WGM Atlantic.
Louise Phillips
Dublin born crime author LOUISE PHILLIPS is an Irish Times bestselling author of six crime novels, five of which were shortlisted for Best Irish Crime Novel of the Year in the Irish Book Awards.
Her second novel ‘The Doll’s House’ won the award. She has also been longlisted for the Crime Writers Association (CWA) Dagger in the Library Award in the U.K., and is the recipient of several literary awards, arts bursaries, and residencies.
Her fifth novel, ‘The Hiding Game’, was optioned by a major U.S. film company, and her latest novel, NINA, will be published in the US & Canada in November 2025.
Lace up your running shoes!
Join us on Sunday, 7 December, for our annual Charity Christmas Concert, a heartwarming event organised by our Volunteers and staff.
Bring your little goblins and witches and hop on board the fun ferry, before embarking on a fang-tastic adventure through the mysterious Spike Island, where you will find areas of the ancient fortress and prison transformed into a realm of Halloween spookiness! Along with their families, the little ones can trick or treat their way around the fortress with our brand new Halloween themed quiz trail – keep an eye out for our friendly tour guides who will be handing out sweet treats along the way!
This unique event promises an adventure like no other – where else can you begin your race within the walls of a 200-year-old fortress before making your way around an iconic island surrounded by spectacular views of Cork Harbour.
Tom Casey
PJ Coogan
Amanda Cassidy
Michelle Dunne
Fiona Gartland
Patricia Gibney
Michelle McDonagh
Gill Perdue
Michelle Teahan
Sam Blake
Edel Coffey
Cónal Creedon
Amy Jordan
Andrea Mara
Nadine Matheson
C.L. Taylor
Diana Beaumont
Nicky Lovick
Louise Phillips