Spike Island Cork

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A big fort with a including. Transfer with a ferry from Cobh in less than 20 minutes. A guard gives you a 40 minutes Information. The Rest of the you can Explorer in your own way. Unfortunalety the most houses (ruins) are closed, so you can't go inside. There are many themes the has to offer. There exhibition for people who are interested in the prison, religious influence (Little Nellie), as a fort with modern and ancient weapons. There are some "tunnels" to the 6 inch guns and naval guns emplacement on the fort overlooking the harbour entrance. There is a good exhibition on guns and tanks. Ferry will take you to the island, a will give a 30 mins briefing (including some safety briefing). After that we are off to roam the island. The ferry will be back at a designated time, we had 3 to walk around. 3 was not enough to look at everything. So pick what you want to see and spend more there. There is a cafe in the centre of the fort to get a break. Definitely recommend to visit. The Spike was fantastic – full of fascinating and stories brought to life by brilliant guides. The highlight was the fireworks show for the 100-year anniversary – absolutely spectacular! Watching the sky light up over the was unforgettable. Such a unique and memorable experience. Highly recommended if you’re in Cork! Interesting to hear about the and the island. Would highly recommend buying tickets ahead for convenience and so you can select what you’d like to take the ferry over. The guided probably could have been condensed to about 30 minutes instead of the hour, felt like it dragged on a bit at the end. Disappointed that a few of the biggest buildings were not buildings you could tour. You have three over there, but can probably see and do all you’d like in about two hours. Very interesting place. Very sad place. It cost right at €100 from my family of four to go but I would do it again. Peter from NYC gave a great and was very passionate about the and was very interested in answering all questions. Great Island, I can highly recommend the trip to there but the whole day is not enough to everything :) I thoroughly enjoyed my visit to Spike Island. Our was excellent and provided us with a thorough overview of the of Spike as well as the location of all of the exhibits we could after the guided tour. There is plenty of after the guided portion of the to all of the cell blocks open to the public, which contained prisoner art, exhibitions on the Spike riot and a of the prison. You spend 3.5 on the and that feels like an appropriate amount of for someone to learn about the and at one’s own pace. Beyond the and grounds there were are stunning views of Cobh from the boat and the fortress on a clear day and a hiking trail along the perimeter of the island. I felt that the video about the life of John Mitchell lacked depth and could have explored his complicated legacy in a more nuanced way. To me this felt a bit dated. Given his role in Irish and as the most famous former inmate of Spike Island, I would have liked more detailed information, exploring the contrast between his views and on Irish liberation and his support for the Confederacy. In particular, it would have been fascinating to have left with a deeper understanding of how this was viewed by his contemporaries and his influence on subsequent Irish political leaders. Visited Spike on a cruise port day, and great value when pre booked online. Ticket includes your ferry ride over to the and back so no need to worry about getting back in for the cruise ship. Ticket also includes a very informative (by Paul for us) who was knowledgeable, passionate and engaging. Approx a 10 minute walk from the cruise ship to the Ticket office and ferry. Great tour! I could’ve spent all day here learning about the place but my toddler was needing more play, to my surprise there was a small playground on site! I really enjoyed what I got to see. A very impressive fortress with a long and interesting history. Our Jack, a local man, gave an excellent run down on the history. Also he added lots of quirky information which made it even more interesting. This is an absolute must-see. The island’s rich and fascinating history—first as a military base and later as a prison—makes it an unforgettable destination. Our guide, Paul, was nothing short of phenomenal. His passion for the island’s was evident in every story he told, offering deep insights into its transformation over the centuries. His knowledge and enthusiasm brought the past to life, making every moment of the engaging and immersive. The only downside? The 45-minute wasn’t nearly long enough! We left wanting more, wishing there was an extended version that allowed us to dive even deeper into the island’s incredible past. Excellent tour!! Tom (tour guide) is friendly, knowledgeable, and professional...and even funny. The boat ride and of the whole takes about three hours. Spike Island, often called "Ireland's Alcatraz," offers a truly unique and engaging visit in Cobh, County Cork. This vast combines stunning scenery with a deep, intriguing history. During the day, the is quite beautiful, offering panoramic views. It's a pleasant destination for families, with plenty of space to the historic fortifications and enjoy the outdoors. For those interested in a deeper historical dive, particularly into darker aspects, the has a past as a with stories of hardship and challenging conditions. The separate night specifically delves into the island's reputation for being haunted, sharing tales of unexplained occurrences and reported ghost sightings that many visitors find fascinating. A practical consideration, especially for night tours held in the autumn, is the unpredictable Irish weather. Since you reach the by boat, strong waves might occasionally lead to tours being shortened for safety. Despite this, Spike remains a highly recommended destination in Cobh. It offers a rich blend of natural beauty, compelling history, and a touch of the supernatural that makes for a memorable visit. Great place to learn the troubled of Ireland. The was great and plenty to see. The views are stunning! We both had a great time. Starts with a for about 40 mins that leads up to the entrance of the prison. Begins with the of the surrounding area in Cobh and then moves on the and itself. The was very informative and helpful if you wanted to ask any questions. You're then left to around the with a small map. As you enter a mug shot is taken which you can get later for 10 euros if you want. Great museum and a nice cafe to relax during it all. The gift shop has some very good books. The souvenir book is really worth getting. At the end we took the scenic walk around the whole island. Would highly recommend it for a family day out. Website change monitoring Monitor any webpage for changes – get instant email alerts when prices drop, new jobs are posted, products come back in stock, or competitors update their sites. See how the number of reviews and average review scores have changed over time.