<P> Following its handover to Ireland , the island 's installations were renamed Fort Mitchel - after John Mitchel , nationalist activist and political journalist who was held on the island for a time . ( Similar Treaty Port fortifications at Fort Camden and Fort Carlisle were similarly renamed to Fort Meagher and Fort Davis respectively . ) The island remained the site of a prison and military base ( for the regular Irish Army , the FCÁ and later the Navy ) for some time . Late into the 20th century it was used as a youth correctional facility . On 1 September 1985 inmates rioted and , as a subsequent Dáil committee reported , `` civilians , prison officers and the Gardai on the Island were virtual prisoners of the criminals '' . During the riot , one of the accommodation blocks , Block A , caught fire and is known as the Burnt Block . This prison facility closed in 2004 . </P>
<P> Following its handover to Ireland , the island 's installations were renamed Fort Mitchel - after John Mitchel , nationalist activist and political journalist who was held on the island for a time . ( Similar Treaty Port fortifications at Fort Camden and Fort Carlisle were similarly renamed to Fort Meagher and Fort Davis respectively . ) The island remained the site of a prison and military base ( for the regular Irish Army , the FCÁ and later the Navy ) for some time . Late into the 20th century it was used as a youth correctional facility . On 1 September 1985 inmates rioted and , as a subsequent Dáil committee reported , `` civilians , prison officers and the Gardai on the Island were virtual prisoners of the criminals '' . During the riot , one of the accommodation blocks , Block A , caught fire and is known as the Burnt Block . This prison facility closed in 2004 . </P>
when did spike island close as a prison
when did spike island close as a prison
2004
2004