Skellig Michael (Sceilg Mhichíl)

A jagged island monastery off the Kerry coast, now a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a modern film location.

Skellig Michael (Sceilg Mhichíl) is a steep pinnacle of rock rising from the Atlantic off the coast of County Kerry. In the early Christian period, monks built a monastery of dry-stone beehive huts near its summit, reached by hundreds of steep steps. It is one of the most remarkable early monastic sites in the world.

A UNESCO World Heritage Site, the island is home to puffins and seabirds, and more recently found new fame as a filming location for the Star Wars films.

At a glance

• A dramatic island monastery off the coast of Co. Kerry.
• Early Christian monks built dry-stone beehive huts near the summit.
• A UNESCO World Heritage Site, reached by hundreds of steep steps.
• Home to puffins, and a Star Wars filming location.

In County Kerry

Skellig Michael is in County Kerry, Ciarraí in Irish, which means “the people of Ciar (a son of Fergus)”.

More in Kerry

• Carrauntoohil (Corrán Tuathail): The highest mountain in Ireland, standing at 1,038.6 meters.
• Corca Dhuibhne (Dingle Peninsula) (Corca Dhuibhne): The Dingle Peninsula Gaeltacht, a Munster-Irish heartland rich in early Christian sites and Ogham stones.
• The Lakes of Killarney (Loch Léin): Three beautiful lakes ringed by mountains and ancient woodland at the heart of Killarney National Park.

Other places of this kind

• Aran Islands (Oileáin Árann): A group of three islands located at the mouth of Galway Bay.
• Rathlin Island (Reachlainn): Northern Ireland's only inhabited offshore island, an L-shaped seabird haven off the Antrim coast.
• Achill Island (Acaill): Ireland's largest island, joined to Mayo by a bridge, with cliffs and blue-flag beaches.
• The Saltee Islands (Na Sailtí): Two small islands off the Wexford coast, one of Ireland's great bird sanctuaries.
• Devenish Island (Daimhinis): A serene monastic island on Lower Lough Erne, crowned by a perfect round tower.
• Boa Island (Inis Badhbha): A Lough Erne island famed for its enigmatic two-faced stone idol.

The Irish name

The Irish form of Skellig Michael is Sceilg Mhichíl. You can hear it spoken, and take apart names like it, in the Placename Explorer. The authoritative record for any Irish place-name is logainm.ie.