FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
The United Kingdom has its own "cursed" island: Spike Island, off the coast of Ireland, which for years was the largest prison in Ireland - and in all of the British Isles - even after it officially ceased to operate.
From the monastery, the camp and finally the prison
Spike Island wasn't always a prison. For centuries it functioned as a monastic center, then became a military base during several wars, and finally evolved into a prison, which remained active until 2004. In 2016, its management passed to Cork City Council, which transformed it into a tourist attraction, open to the public.
Over the centuries, the island has hosted monks and priests, military personnel, convicts and historical figures from Ireland, Britain and the United States. The 17th-century book "The Chronicles of the Four Lords" records the arrival of clergy on the island, while a 12th-century map from the reign of Henry II describes it as an Anglo-Norman base, also mentioning the existence of a church. However, today there are no visible archaeological traces of the monastery, and visitors are mainly attracted by the prison and its history.
During the time of Oliver Cromwell, the prison was used extensively, after his troops invaded Ireland during the War of the Three Kingdoms (1649). Thousands of Irish prisoners were imprisoned on Spike Island before being transported to colonies in North America and the Caribbean. The island's strategic location within Cork Bay facilitated the movement of prisoners by sea, without causing disruption to the mainland.
Spike Island Prison Riot
During the decades of the Great Famine in Ireland (1840s), prisons were filled with poor citizens, many of whom had committed petty theft in a desperate attempt to survive. Due to the overcrowding crisis and ongoing expansion projects, prisoners were forced to do unpaid forced labor to build new wings.
The prison was designed to house 800 people, but within a few years it was holding over 2,300 prisoners, including boys as young as 12 - making it, for a time, the largest prison in the world.
Ultimately, due to maintenance costs, the prison was permanently closed in February 2004 and all prisoners were transferred from the island. Today, visitors have the opportunity to tour the C-type cells, see exhibits about the island's history, and feel the atmosphere of a dark and imposing place.
Based on the major changes that Spike Island has experienced, it is unlikely that it will ever return to its prison role.
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