Many people are aware that the St. Patrick’s Festival stages a huge fireworks display every St. Patrick’s Day. For a number of years it was held in Dublin, but in 2008 it was held in Cashel, Co. Tipperary. Last June Cobh Tourism wrote to the organisers suggesting Spike Island in Cork Harbour as an ideal place to hold the St. Patrick’s Day Skyfest display in one of the immediate years to come. The reasons cited by Cobh Tourism for the suitability of the island are as follows:

• The island is close to a major population centre i.e. Cork city and county.
• Cork Harbour is a natural amphitheatre for this type of event with vantage points all around the Harbour.
• Cork Harbour is inextricably linked with emigration with 2.5 million emigrants departing from it.
• Cobh has a multitude of vantage points and is accessible by public transport.
• Spike Island has a varied and diverse history. In addition the island has ruined houses, jail cells with century’s old barred windows, mature windswept trees and ramparts – magnificent material for innovative camerawork.
• Cobh has a magnificent floodlit Cathedral, tumbling down piers and distinctive architecture.
• The island is at present secure and inaccessible to the public.

Cobh Tourism feels that the media exposure associated with bringing this event to Spike Island would create an awareness of the diverse history associated with Spike Island and its potential as a tourist attraction and would also be of immense benefit to Cobh.

In the letter of reply received in August, Donal Shiels stated that the festival organisers will “give our suggestion serious consideration” and may come to Cobh for a site visit. However the plans for 2009 are well advanced at this stage so the earliest that the event could be held in Cobh is 2010.

Cobh Tourism is asking the businesses and people of Cobh to write to Susan Kirby, CEO St. Patrick’s Festival at St. Stephen’s Green House, Earlsfort Terrace, Dublin 2 to encourage her to visit Cobh and Spike Island to see for herself what a fabulous location this would be.