Merrion Press 🔖has just published a new book by John Crotty.
OUT NOW
SPIKE ISLAND The Rebels, Residents and Crafty Criminals of
Ireland's Historic Island John Crotty
A monastic outpost in the Celtic
Sea, a fortress built to defend an Empire, a prison established to intern a
nation; Spike Island’s remarkable 1300-year history far exceeds its modest
acreage.
No other place better encapsulates the Irish story. Spike
Island tells of religious fervour, frequent rebellion,
social endeavour, and a nation’s inextinguishable yearning for freedom.
After 206 years off-limits to the public, its secrets can finally be
divulged.
The island has garnered international attention many times,
such as the famine-era prison overcrowding and inhumane conditions, the
triumphant 1938 handover of the island from Britain to Ireland, and the
violent prison riot in 1985.
Spike Island echoes with the voices of prisoners past, having
housed fierce rebels like John Mitchel, who would inspire the 1916
generation, and 1200 Republicans during the War of Independence. More
recent arrivals include the notorious crime boss The General, who
terrorized 1980’s Ireland.
Told in an entertaining and accessible chronological style
featuring accounts from island dwellers and the interned alike, this book
is sure to captivate anyone interested in Irish history.
Paperback • €18.99 |
£17.99 • 312 pages • 234 mm x 153 mm • 9781785374883
ABOUT THE AUTHOR John Crotty hails from County Waterford and
spent 11 years living in the UK where he graduated from Swansea
University. On his return, John managed Spike Island Cork as CEO for six
years, leading the island to international awards. Under John’s
stewardship, the island launched its popular After Dark tours and the
first Spike Island Literary Festival. John has been featured in multiple
publications and TV shows sharing the island’s story. This is his first
book.
Merrion Press 🔖has just published a new book by John Crotty.
OUT NOW
SPIKE ISLAND The Rebels, Residents and Crafty Criminals of
Ireland's Historic Island John Crotty
A monastic outpost in the Celtic
Sea, a fortress built to defend an Empire, a prison established to intern a
nation; Spike Island’s remarkable 1300-year history far exceeds its modest
acreage.
No other place better encapsulates the Irish story. Spike
Island tells of religious fervour, frequent rebellion,
social endeavour, and a nation’s inextinguishable yearning for freedom.
After 206 years off-limits to the public, its secrets can finally be
divulged.
The island has garnered international attention many times,
such as the famine-era prison overcrowding and inhumane conditions, the
triumphant 1938 handover of the island from Britain to Ireland, and the
violent prison riot in 1985.
Spike Island echoes with the voices of prisoners past, having
housed fierce rebels like John Mitchel, who would inspire the 1916
generation, and 1200 Republicans during the War of Independence. More
recent arrivals include the notorious crime boss The General, who
terrorized 1980’s Ireland.
Told in an entertaining and accessible chronological style
featuring accounts from island dwellers and the interned alike, this book
is sure to captivate anyone interested in Irish history.
Paperback • €18.99 |
£17.99 • 312 pages • 234 mm x 153 mm • 9781785374883
ABOUT THE AUTHOR John Crotty hails from County Waterford and
spent 11 years living in the UK where he graduated from Swansea
University. On his return, John managed Spike Island Cork as CEO for six
years, leading the island to international awards. Under John’s
stewardship, the island launched its popular After Dark tours and the
first Spike Island Literary Festival. John has been featured in multiple
publications and TV shows sharing the island’s story. This is his first
book.
Former IRA volunteer and ex-prisoner, spent 18 years in Long Kesh, 4 years on the blanket and no-wash/no work protests which led to the hunger strikes of the 80s. Completed PhD at Queens upon release from prison. Left the Republican Movement at the endorsement of the Good Friday Agreement, and went on to become a journalist. Co-founder of The Blanket, an online magazine that critically analyzed the Irish peace process. Lead researcher for the Belfast Project, an oral history of the Troubles.
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