Spike Island Flag Raising commemoration in Cobh

The Irish Tricolour will be ceremonially raised in the Promenade in Cobh on Friday 11th July 2014 in commemoration of the handover of the Treaty Ports in 1938. The Irish Tricolour was raised for the first time ever on Spike Island at 8 pm on 11th July 1938 by then Taoiseach Eamon De Valera. This was an occasion for great celebration in Cobh and around Cork Harbour as earlier in the day British troops had vacated the forts of Cork Harbour. This ceremony will commence with a Parade by the Cobh Branch O.N.E at approximately 7.40 pm.

The Spike Island Flag Raising Ceremony was initiated in Cobh in 2007 by the Spike Island Heritage Committee. The committee successfully highlighted the vast history of Spike Island and its tourism and amenity potential. Plans to build a super prison on the island were shelved and ultimately Spike Island was handed over by the Department of Justice to Cork County Council.

Cobh Tourism have organised the annual ceremony in latter years, allowing former residents of Spike Island, relatives of the armed forces involved in the handover and members of the public an opportunity to commemorate a highly significant date in Irish history.