A pencil drawing with touches of watercolour showing Spike Island, in the Cove of Cork. A tower is shown on the island, with trees shown behind. Inscribed below pasted down sheet: Spike Island. 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."