Trespassers cause damage to Spike Island, Cork

Spike Island dismayed to discover damage caused by trespassers.

The team at Spike Island, Cork were both disappointed and horrified on Sunday morning to discover that the historic island had been targeted by trespassers who carried out extensive damage.

Accessible only by water, Spike Island was once the site of a monastic settlement before becoming a fortress built to defend an empire and later a prison. Today the island is a leading tourist attraction welcoming thousands of visitors each year.

The incident is believed to have taken place between 7:30am and 8:00am on Sunday morning. Upon examining CCTV footage, the team at Spike Island discovered that a group of individuals who appeared to be quite intoxicated disembarked from a private vessel and proceeded to cause damage to the historic buildings and natural landscape including Little Nellie’s House, a part of the island much loved by both staff and visitors alike. It is believed that the culprits also made their way to the moat and disturbed the island’s wildlife before fleeing.

Alan O Callaghan, Operations Manager at Spike Island, shared his dismay and frustration, saying

“The team here at Spike Island work tirelessly to preserve the history and natural landscape of the island and for their efforts to be treated with such disregard is extremely disheartening. We will not tolerate this kind of anti-social behaviour and have notified the Gardai of the incident in the hope that the perpetrators will face the consequences of their actions.”