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Skellig Islands -

The Skellig Islands—Skellig Michael and Little Skellig—are two uninhabited rocky islets located west off the Iveragh Peninsular in County Kerry, Ireland. Skellig Michael's Celtic name is Sceilg Mhichíl, its smaller and inaccessible twin, Sceilig Bheag.

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Sacred site -

Rugged and remote, Skellig Michael is little more than a twin-pinnacled crag marooned in the Atlantic Ocean. But this mysterious and eroded windblown spec of rock keeps a secret: it's the most westerly sacred site in Europe!

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Medieval monastery -

Perched on the island's precipitous uneven slopes are the ancient remains of an early medieval monastery, which has been dated back to somewhere between 950 and 1050. However, the first known historical reference to the island comes from the end of the 5^th century when the Gaelic kings of Munster ruled the Irish iron age.

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Ancient community -

Considering its age, the monastic settlement is in unusual good condition. It's built into a terraced shelf 180 m (600 ft) above sea level.

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Michael the Archangel -

The main island is named after the archangel Michael. "Skellig" meanwhile is derived from the Irish language word sceilig, meaning a splinter of stone.

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Beehive cells -

This venerated location, which incidentally is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is distinguished by six clochán-type domed beehive cells built of slate and typical of what's known as corbel construction—stone slabs that progressively overlap each other to create a false roof or dome.

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Path to Christ's Saddle -

On the opposite side of the island to the monastery is a network of weathered rock-cut steps known as Christ's Saddle. The pathway crosses through a narrow rock chimney known as Needle's Eye to reach the ruins of a 9th-century hermitage. This is the better known of two hermitages on Skellig. The other, largely forgotten, is little more than a collection of fallen masonry that only a skilled climber should attempt to investigate.

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High Cross -

Of the hundred or so crosses recorded on the island, it's the remarkable High Cross that stands out. Set near the Large Oratory, this highly decorative piece is an early feature of the monastery.

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Monastery and graveyard -

The monastery is set on a sloping rock plateau at Skellig's north-eastern summit. Built by monks, the aged complex includes the cells and two oratories. Fronting the Large Oratory is the monks' graveyard. It has been estimated that no more than 12 monks and an abbot lived at the monastery at any one time.

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Crosses to bear -

The series of crosses, roughly shaped and with some featuring plain, incised decoration, are in their original location.

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South Steps -

The steps and paths you see on Skellig Michael were created by the first generation of monks to inhabit the island. The south steps (pictured) are the most commonly used by visitors, merging with the north steps at Christ's Saddle to lead to the monastery.

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Arduous task -

It must have been long, arduous, and back-breaking work forging each step, which was rock-cut by hand out of old red sandstone and compressed slate.

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Wailing Woman rock -

A well-known natural landmark on Skellig is the Wailing Woman rock, a large piece of vertical bedrock that lies in the center of the island, on the ascent before the Christ's Saddle ridge, 120 m (400 ft) above sea level.

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View from the Large Oratory -

The narrow vista framing Little Skellig as seen from inside the Large Oratory.

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Film location -

Skellig Michael's unworldly topography and mystical veneer made it ideal as a filming location for 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' (2015) and 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' (2017). Aerial footage of the enigmatic destination was also used in 'Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker' (2019). Pictured is Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker) and Daisy Ridley (Rey) in a scene filmed among the slate dwellings.

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Star Wars Festival -

Skellig is often referred to as "Star Wars Island" after the two movies that were shot there. In May 2018, the first ever Star Wars Festival was played out at Portmagee on the mainland against the suitably austere and intriguing backdrop of the island. Pictured is a festivalgoer dressed as Darth Vader approaching Skellig.

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Magnet for wildlife -

The islands are a popular birder's destination. Cormorants, Arctic terns, and black guillemots are among the numerous and very noisy seabirds that congregate here during the summer months.

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Puffin -

The islands support a wealth of wildlife, including the Atlantic puffin. The seabirds spend summers here, arriving in April to join shearwaters, petrels, fulmars, and kittiwakes competing for nest space on the narrow, lofty ledges.

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Gannet -

Little Skellig is home to some 27,000 pairs of gannets, making the island the second-largest gannet colony in the world.

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Razorbill -

Gannets share prized ocean-front real estate with razorbills, among other seabirds. Agile and an excellent diver, the razorbill is near threatened, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

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Gray seal -

Rotund, big-eyed gray seals can be seen occupying the ledges smudging the base of Skellig's towering sea cliffs. This species is also known as the Atlantic seal. 

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Decline -

Skellig was continuously occupied until the early 13th century, when the last of the monks moved to the mainland due to a general climatic deterioration that resulted in colder weather and increased storms. This, together with changes in the structure of the Celtic Church, signaled the end of the hermitic community on the island, here pictured in 1875.

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Edwin Wyndham-Quin (1812–1871) -

In 1871, Edwin Wyndham-Quin, the third Earl of Dunraven (1812–1871), made the first comprehensive archaeological survey of the island. He published his findings in 'Notes on Irish Architecture.'

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Lighthouse -

In 1578, ownership of the islands passed to the Butler family, descendants of Anglo-Norman lords who for several centuries were prominent in the administration of the Lordship of Ireland and the Kingdom of Ireland. In the 1820s, Skellig Island was purchased by local authorities in order to build two lighthouses on the Atlantic side of the island, complete with associated living quarters.

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St Michael's Church -

The island's St Michael's Church is the only monastic structure on the island constructed using lime mortar, imported from Valentia Island. The church is now mostly ruined, but you can still make out a "modern" gravestone, dated 1871 and erected for members of the family of one of the lighthouse keepers.

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Portmagee -

Those wishing to visit Skellig Michael can do so from Portmagee, a small mainland village that serves as a departure point for tourists traveling to the island. The village is named for Captain Theobald Magee, a notorious 18th-century smuggler.

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Kerry cliffs -

The coastline around Portmagee is stunning, a stark and rugged landscape composed of the Kerry Cliffs. At over 300 m (1000 ft) high, the cliffs afford enticing views of the irregular, saw-toothed outline of Skellig Michael and its tiny twin.

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Weather conditions -

Its remote location is one reason why Skellig's monastery site has remained in such good condition: few could be bothered to make the effort to reach such an isolated community. But the often inclement weather conditions also proved a deterrent to would-be invaders. Pictured is the location shrouded in sea fog, with only the peak of Little Skellig visible.

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Visiting Skellig -

And visiting Skellig does depend on good weather conditions! The island's three bays— Blind Man's Cove to the east, Cross Cove to the south, and Blue Cove to the north—all provide access points from the sea.

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Island outpost -

The haunting outlines of Skellig Michael and Little Skellig in silhouette at dusk.

Sources: (Sacred Sites) (World Heritage Centre) (The Forgotten Hermitage of Skellig Michael) (Diocese of Kerry) (Skellig Michael Cruises) (The Irish Times)

See also: Escape the city: spectacular remote locations in Britain and Ireland

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