Skellig Michael
Sceilg Mhichíl · Co. Kerry
Twelve kilometres off the Iveragh Peninsula, two pyramids of rock rise from the open Atlantic. On the larger, Skellig Michael, early Christian monks built a monastery of drystone beehive cells on a terrace 180 metres above the sea, reached by hand-cut stone stairways — and lived there, on fish, seabirds and prayer, for some six centuries. It is one of the most extraordinary places in Europe, recognised as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.
The monastery and the climb
Landing tours put you ashore for around two and a half hours — enough time to climb the roughly 600 uneven stone steps to the monastery, where six corbelled beehive cells, two oratories and a small graveyard huddle behind drystone walls with the ocean on every side. There are no handrails and the drops are real; a reasonable head for heights and sure feet are required.
The island found a new audience when it appeared as Luke Skywalker's refuge in Star Wars: The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi — the "porgs" were invented partly because the resident puffins wandered into every shot.
Wildlife and Little Skellig
From May to early August the island teems with puffins nesting in burrows beside the steps, along with storm petrels and Manx shearwaters. Neighbouring Little Skellig, where no landing is permitted, holds one of the world's largest northern gannet colonies — tens of thousands of pairs whitening the rock like snow. Eco-tours that circle both islands without landing are a spectacular (and unbookable-proof) alternative.
Planning your trip
Boats run from Portmagee and nearby piers roughly mid-May to late September, weather permitting, and daily landing numbers are strictly limited — book weeks or months ahead for summer, and build a spare day into your plans in case of cancellation. The crossing takes about an hour and can be lively. No toilets, no shelter, no café: bring layers, grippy footwear, water and a healthy respect for the place.
Where it is
51.7733°N, 10.5397°W
Nearby stops
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