Skellig Michael
A dramatic two-island crag thrusting out of the Atlantic Ocean that was once home to a remote monastery.
Overview
Emerging eight miles off the Irish mainland, Skellig Michael (Sceilg Mhichíl) is an eerie monument ascending from the ocean.
Once a remote monastery, this dramatic two-island system is named for the archangel Michael and the Irish word 'sceilig', meaning a splinter of stone or scree; this dazzling crag offers two adjacent pinnacles — that were used as a remote planet setting in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
Although landing on Skellig Michael is strictly limited, once-daily boat tours see travellers climb to the ancient monastery, built over a thousand years ago. You can head in and explore the beehive huts where the monks lived. Mind your step for the locals, the puffins.
Images: Valeria O'Sullivan via Tourism Ireland
