1985 revisited: The night chaos erupted in Cork's ‘Alcatraz-type’ Spike Island prison

On the night of August 31, 1985 prisoners at Spike Island rioted, setting fire to prison buildings before making their way on to the roof. This is the original report from the then Cork Examiner

Spike Island riot in 1985.

Ireland’s “Alcatraz”-type island prison was early today little more than a charred ruin after 70 prisoners had run riot across Spike Island, burning buildings and defying for a time attempts by garda reinforcements to gain control of the Cork harbour island.

Just seven prison officers were on duty within the 112-inmate prison when the full-scale riot broke out. Four of these officers were untrained applicants for the gardaí, who had no more than three weeks experience of prison work.