Spike Island 'ireland's Alcatraz'

No blog last night, as it took all evening to upload the photos.  Holidays have started in Ireland, the camping ground is full, and the wifi is stretched to its limit.

We are still feeling very dispirited about the referendum in Britain.  How did the country get itself into such a mess?   Was it a prime minister who would not initially support the EU, and then got himself into a position where he was not strong enough to stand up to other parliamentarians, and then allowed a promised referendum to take place?  Well if that was the case it certainly backfired on him.

And the people who voted to leave?  They may not understand the purpose of the European Union, and its importance to Britain, as it is a highly complex, mysterious and often bureaucratic organisation. Or people may have been caught up with politicians giving incorrect information or making rash promises, fed up with an underfunded NHS,  or problems with crime in their areas, or  unemployment or a steady stream of new people coming into the country.   But I think most importantly people were not being listened to before the referendum.  

There is no doubt the establishment has been shaken up, and those in power in Britain have been given a message.  I just hope they listen to it.   And take some positive action.

In the meantime we are destined to leave the European Union, unless a miracle happens.

As tourists, in Ireland, we carry on with our tour.   And what better way to keep the mood dark; visit a former fort and prison.

We caught a small ferry from Cobh to Spike Island, which has been renovated and recently opened as a museum.

But first another look at the Irish Navy buildings on the island of Haulbowline.  We actually went around the island on the way back from Spike Island, and the buildings at the front, in the photograph below, have been closed up, and the one on the left has no roof.  There is a building behind them which is a ruin.  The Irish Navy appear to be occupying new buildings at the back of the island.  I wonder if there are plans to renovate the old buildings and perhaps turn them into a museum.

There was sunshine yesterday.  And the world looked a much better place.  The view back to Cobh was fantastic.  St Coleman's Cathedral certainly dominates the skyline.

Once we arived on the island we noticed groups of children, running around, out on kayaks or in an Adventure Park, which contained obstacle courses, and military style tents.  As it was Saturday we knew they could not be part of school groups.  Holiday camps?  It transpired that some of the groups were having birthday parties.   A group of very excited eight or nine year olds came back on the ferry with us.  Certainly a different sort of birthday party.

Spike Island was once an important part of the port's defences.  The first fort was built in 1779, due to the American Revolution, as British ships used the port while waiting to sail to America.   It was named Fort Westmoreland.   Now it is called Fort Mitchel, after John Mitchel, national activist and political journalist who was held on the island for a time.  I think he was transported to Bermuda.

A new fort, which is the current one, was built in the early 1800s. In the second half of the 19th century, and again during the Irish War of Independence, the fort was used as a prison and internment centre, gaining the nickname 'Ireland's Alcatraz'.

There were also families living on the island, and there was a school and a church.  At first they were the families of service personnel, and then families of the prison wardens or a mixture of the two. The island remained as a prison and garrison under British Sovereignty until 11th July 1938.

The houses have been empty since the 1985 riots when all the families were evacuated from the island and given houses on the mainland.

The houses are now boarded up, and are in disrepair, and the surrounding trees have taken over.  It is possible to see that there was once a large village on one side of the island.

Walter and I first walked around the island, on a beautifully made footpath.  The views were excellent.

The gates are open and Walter is ready to set forth into the prison, as a visitor.

The first stop was the last area to be used, a prison for young offenders, opened in 1985.

The room where the prisoners could meet with visitors, prisoners on one side and visitors on the other side.

This part of the prison was updated, which included central heating, before it was used for the young offenders.   The prison was finally closed in 2003, when the last 180 prisoners were moved to another prison.

Four beds to a room, and a toilet as well.   This was luxury compared to the rest of the prison.

We moved on to other sections.   This upstairs room was reasonable, although small.  It had a very high ceiling and a high window.  But at least it was light and airy.

The exercise yard for young offenders, complete with a football post painted onto the wall.

This building was once a drill hall, and now a cafe, serving delicious coffee and cakes, plus sandwiches.  Toilets have been built onto the side of the building.

A view towards the recreation hall, although no doubt it was used for different purposes over the years.  There were married quarters upstairs on either side of the hall.  A beautiful building, and grand hall.  Definitely not for the prisoners though.

Except some of the prisoners in the 1985 riots climbed up onto the roof of the hall.

The 19th century prison building, where many convicts and prisoners were housed downstairs in dreadful conditions.    Due to poverty, starvation and poor health many prisoners died here.   The upstairs part housed the families of people who worked in the prisons.  It must have been hard on them too.

Block A, the burnt out shell, the scene of the 1985 riots.

The worst area was the punishment block.  A dark, grim place with barely any light.  Often the prisoners in these cells had no bed, and were chained to the wall.

This man in the photo below is not checking Facebook on a mobile phone.  Same pose I know.   I used the flash on the phone as it was dark in the room.  Torchlights were provided so that people could see around.  I thought the man was moving when I looked in the room.  It was a very eerie place.  I was glad to get out into the fresh air.

A recreation of the prison ships, either to Bermuda or Australia.

And on a brighter note.  A view through the observation window, towards the gap between the two peninsulas, the entrance to the port, and the open sea beyond them.

I must comment on the amazing staff in all the museums we have visited.  They have been very welcoming, friendly and willing to give out information about exhibits.

The museums are organised so that there is not too much information, and it is always presented in an interesting way.  I think people in Ireland are excellent story tellers.