A watercolour showing Spike Island in the Cove of Cork. Spike Island is shown in the centre with the cove shown in the background. Inscribed below pasted down sheet: Part of Spike Island &c. - - Inscribed lower right: VR del on board the V.&A. Aug: 3 - 1849. Queen Victoria visited Ireland for the first time in August 1849. The Queen arrived at the Cove of Cork on 2 August 1849 after sailing from Osborne with Prince Albert and their four eldest children the day before. In her journal entry of 3 August 1849, Queen Victoria describes how, while anchored in the Cove of Cork, "Albert went on shore, & I, occupied myself in writing & sketching."