War of Independence on Spike Island: Desperate circumstances in Cork's infamous prison camp

Notorious IRA fighter in a race against time to escape before British forces discovered his true identity, writes Sean O’Riordan

Block A was used to house prisoners in 1921.

There are probably no prisons built which never had an escape or attempted escape and Spike Island, although in the middle of a harbour, was no exception.

The first escape from the island took place in daylight on April 29. Three prisoners were involved: Sean MacSwiney (brother of Terence) and Cornelius Twomey, both from Cork City, and Tom Malone, alias Sean Forde, from Tyrrellspass, Co Westmeath, who was active with the IRA in Co Limerick.