Events

Regular Tours

Ferry journey

Your ticket price includes a seat on one of our comfortable ferries for the short and scenic ten minute crossing across Cork harbour, the world’s second largest natural harbour.  Enjoy the stunning views of Cobh from the water and keep an eye out for seals, dolphins and sea birds!  Your return boat is 3.5 hours later, we have lots to see and recommend staying this long.  But shorter and longer stays are available on request.  

Guided Tours

Included in the price of your ticket is a guided tour from the ferry to the Fortress, lasting up to 45 minutes. Our fully trained storytellers will share the 1300 year history of Spike Island, escorting you from the pier past the island's pretty cottages and on to the fierce fortress. Learn all about our military, penal, social and monastic past. You are then free to explore our forts atmospheric prison cells, impressive military fortifications, long tunnels and over a dozen separate exhibitions and museums at your leisure. 

Allow time to do one of our two island walkways, the 20 minute 'Glasis walk' around our fortress with stunning harbour views, or the 'Ring of Spike' walking trail, a 45  minute walk around our coastline surrounded by nature and wildlife.  Your FREE map and app will guide you along with signage and information panels. 

Audioguide option

Our excellent audio guides can be purchased at our ticket office or in our gift shop in 4 languages, English, Irish, French and German.  Simply switch on the unit and plug in the headphones and when you see a number marked out on our impressive 'monolith' display boards, hit the corresponding number in your guide.  

The audio is one hour in total with 16 stops, and as it is yours to keep so you can listen more at home or while travelling.

 

Self-Guided Tour

After a short safety briefing on exiting the ferry or when your guided tour ends, visitors to the island are free to explore the attractions and island habitat for themselves. You will be issued with a map and can follow our 16 point ‘Monolith Trail’ to explore the area.  With 104 acres of natural sland and a 24 acre fort, bring your walking shoes!

Cafe / Toilets / Gift Shop

Our fully stocked Cafe is housed in the former prison gymnasium and sells hot rolls, wraps and sandwiches, pizza slices, soup, tea/coffee, scones, cakes and other items. 

Toilets are are located on the pier and at the fort entrance and in the cafe.

What's Here

In the last 1300 years Spike Island has been home to heroes and villains, captains and convicts, red coats and rioters and sinners and saints.  The islands impressive 104 acres have at one time or another hosted an Island monastery, an Island prison, an Island fortress and an Island home. 

Today visitors can discover the islands impressive 104 acres with tours departing from Kennedy pier, Cobh, Cork Harbour, which is right next to Titanic Cobh.  Cobh itself is a beautiful heritage town steeped in history, with one of the largest cathedrals in Ireland.  Cobh was also the departure point for over 2.5 million Irish emigrants, the single large departure point in the country. 

A scenic 10/20 minute ferry journey gives visitors an overview of the history and heritage of Cobh and Cork harbour and sets the scene for a visit to Spike.  Then its on to the imposing 24 acre Fortress Spike, a 200 year old star shaped fort that holds some of the most impressive buildings in Ireland, including;

  • The Punishment Block, an 1858 prison where inmates were chained to the wall in dark cells.
  • The 1985 cells, which housed modern prisoners in 4 man cells and included famous inmates like Martin Cahill, orchestrator of a 40 million Euro art heist in Dublin.
  • Irelands largest Artillery Gun Park, with cannons and modern military machines.
  • Walk the deep and narrow tunnels to our 6’’ harbour defence guns, the largest in Ireland.
  • Our former childrens prison conversion to the hold of a convict ship, our social history room, the John Mitchal room and our interactive display of Cork Harbour.
  • Former church Mitchel hall, which houses temporary art exhibitions.
  • Scale the points of our start shaped bastions to get incredible views of Cork Harbour and Cobh.
  • Meet and talk to our trained guides who can give you all the information you need about Spike Island and how it has influenced many corner of the world.
  • Finally walk the beautiful outer island with rich nature and wildlife and incredible mainland and sea views.

Click below to Discover more about the history and attractions of Spike Island.

Read More

Went over to Spike Island during the summer. What a great day out, very interesting place, great walks and a big field if you wanted too chill out or if the kids want to play. It has a shop so you can get food and drinks. You could make a whole day out of it, there was more added to it during the year so cannot wait to go over again this summer, would highly recommend it.

  • Bernard & Helena McCarthy
  • Ireland

We had the pleasure & experience of visiting Spike Island on a day trip the journey from Cobh harbour was by ferry, the crew were great giving information & answering questions. Our tour guide was brilliant, an ex navy man himself, spent time with all. He really got across the history of Spike and we will definitely go again.

  • Yvonne
  • Ireland

Great Tour of the Island. My Family and I visited Spike Island (February) and we all found it very interesting. The trip on the ferry accross was great and it was a dry day. We found it very interesting and for history lovers it is a great place to go. The views of Cobh from the Island are magnificent.

  • Caroline D
  • Cork

I went to Spike Island recently and found it totally amazing with the history and the heritage of the island. It's a great place to visit and the tour is great. If in Cork then it should be high on your list of places to go. Highly recommended.

  • John B
  • Cork

Very impressive! It was our second time here and well worth the trip. Lots of interesting information presented with a touch of Irish humour. We'd strongly advise everyone to go there, it's a great day out! You can take the island in at your own pace or join a guided tour. It's a brilliant opportunity to see all of Cork harbour.

  • Claire T
  • Ireland

Both for history and nature enthusiasts. Be sure to catch the free guided tour that is included in your ticket. Our guide was very skilled and made the history come alive through stories he told.Also take the time to explore the island and enjoy the view of Cobh from a different perspective. Take a walk around and take in the beauty of the nature and the island as a whole!

  • Kenny & Lisa
  • Brussels, Belgium

Amazing, a hidden gem! Must-see. Myself and my husband visited Spike Island today and although we both live in Cork we had never been. It was absolutely brilliant and would highly recommend. Our guide was excellent, so knowledgeable and funny! Time flies so we will definitely be back and will also do the After Dark tour too. I would never get sick of visiting and feel it is the kind of place you could visit over and over and still see and learn new things.

  • Trish
  • Cork

Spike Island is well worth a visit. The scenery is beautiful, even for a walk, it is worthwhile to go and see. The tour guide was excellent too and we enjoyed it all. You could easily spend a few hours here, a great way to spend a day and very affordable too. It is advisable to book the ferry beforehand, it is a popular spot.

  • Rose
  • Boston, Massachusetts, USA