Spike Island, branded ‘Ireland’s Alcatraz’ has become one of Ireland’s most successful visitor attractions. The island of 103 acres (42 hectares) usurped some of the biggest sites in global tourism by being named Europe's latest tourist attraction in 2017 - assigned the accolade at the World Travel Awards 2017 in St Petersburg, Russia.
Jane O’Toole was born in Wicklow in 1858. Her home had been a safe house for Fenians and her brothers had taken part in the Fenian Rising in 1867. In 1881 she joined the Ladies Land League and was a visitor to Kilmainham Jail and other jails. She took books to the imprisoned and became a regular visitor to Parnell during his imprisonment in 1881-1882.
The order, delivered in a strong Dublin accent and at a high decibel level had the opposite effect on me to that which it would appear was intended – it caused me to freeze on the spot.
