This monastic site is located on a steep island, which jutts dramatically out of the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of the Ivereagh Peninsula.
It is believed to have been founded by St Finian sometime between the 6th and 8th centuries.
The monks who called Skellig Michael home were ascetic members of the Augustinian Order. This meant that they sought to remove themselves from society so as to further develop their own personal relationships with God. Life on the island was hard, and by the 13th century the monks of Skellig Michael had relocated to the mainland.
The site consists of a stone enclosure, two oratories, a church, water cisterns, crosses, and a graveyard, as well as the seven famous beehive huts so called because of their appearance.
Today the site is extremely difficult to access, and visitor numbers are closely monitored to protect both the monastic site, and the large colonies of sea birds which call the islands home. Interest in visiting Skellig Michael has increased in recent years due to its featuring in the latest installments of the Star Wars saga.
References
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World Heritage Site | Ireland | VIEW SOURCE |
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Tourist Information | Ireland | VIEW SOURCE |
