Sample of Book Content

The Tom Ryan War of Independence archive

Top: Diary - Volume 1 and 2

Centre: Notebooks 1-3

Bottom: (Left) Tom Ryan autograph book (Right) Jo Muldowney (Ryan) autograph book

Image of Tom and Johanna Ryan

Spike Island Gaol

Spike Island Prison is a place as you see

Outside of Cobh, about 2 miles or three

Sure if Irish you are, or mean to be free

In a launch you will go as an internee.

Ri tooral, I ooral, I ooral, I ay,

Sir Hamar he sent us to Spike for to say

Ri tooral, I ooral, I ooral, I ay.

We embarked at Cork city, that famed rebel town

In a Government launch which quickly sped down

With comrades who came from Ireland all o'er

And we gave hearty cheers for our dear native shore.

Now when we arrived in Spike Island Hell

And joined up large numbers of comrades as well

We gave hearty cheers with a hip-hip-hoorah

And a Cead Mile Failte for Erin go bragh.

We stood for a while and we gazed all around

Just to have a full view of the old prison ground

In front were two buildings known as 'A' Block and 'B'

And away to the east was another called 'C'.

Sure next we were marched to a room in Block B

And greeted by pals whom we longed for to see

For dinner we had a black spud on a plate

And photos of 'cow-dug' the soldiers call 'mate'.

Now just a description of our pleasure ground

More commonly known as the prisoners' compound

A close confined space in front of each block

So small that like sheep all our pals had to flock.

At the back of our lodgings stood a strong barricade

A fortress consisting of cut-stone well laid

And again to the rear stood a similar mound

Which meant no escape from that old convict ground.

No limit was fixed for the length of our stay

But the general cry 'We'll be out any day'

But ere it came round, we were fading away

Singing Ri tooral, I ooral, I ooral, I ay.

The End