Spike Island Tours, Cobh

Very good day out in this iconic island. You will need to scan your tickets in the office (black container). The boat ride is about ten minutes and the boat is seated and quite nice. The tours begin on the dock and the guides are really good at explaining the history and enormity of the island. The prison itself is huge and has a naval museum, punishment block and modern prison on site. It also has massive guns from when it was a fort. There is also a cafe in the centre. Well worth a visit, you have 3 hours here and will need all of them to both the inside and outside of the walls. There are lots building on the island outside the prison. We had a really good day

One trip to Spike will not get everything in. Its a great place to visit, loads of history tied up on this little island in Cork Harbour. John G gives a good knowledgeable and entertaining talk on the history of the island before you can explore at your leisure. We will be going back for another visit, you won't need the talk on the second visit. Buy your tickets online in advance to avoid disappointment as the tours tend to be fully booked during peak season.