The next stop was Cork, where I was able to explore the city and surrounding towns, and visit the Cork City Gaol and Spike Island Cork Harbor. Cork City Gaol was an inner-city prison that has been an intricate part of Cork for centuries. Its architecture displays 19th century Georgian Gothic architecture. It housed men and women who committed crimes in the city, and it later housed individuals during the Irish Civil War. This prison continues to be a part of Cork's lifestyle as not only is it a tourist attraction, but people often get married in it as well.
Spike Island, also known as "Ireland's Alcatraz," is located in Cobh, Ireland, a small town located near Cork. This island has shifted from being a prison to a military base numerous times over the years till it finally closed in 2004. The prison was used to house inmates before penal transportation, and later held IRA prisoners during the Irish War of Independence. One similarity that this prison shared with some prisons in America is the incorporation of prison rehabilitation programs. In the last several years that the prison was open, it housed all men. There was an education unit opened in one of the prison buildings that offered education courses to help prisoners cope with their sentences. Some of the courses that were offered were English, math, woodwork, yoga, computer skills and drug awareness education. Not only were these programs trying to help prisoners with their time in prison, but they also aimed to increase their options outside of prison, improve their self-development and potentially lead to more education after release. Some American prisons are aiming to accomplish similar goals as more and more prisons across the country are opening rehabilitation programs. These prisons are trying to decrease recidivism rates and increase the options that prisoners have once they're released. These types of programs are aimed to provide change to prisoners to better themselves and their lives.
