Skellig Michael, an important Early Christian Site

Skellig Michael, otherwise known as Skellig Rock, is an important early Christian site 7 miles off the West Kerry Coast. A massive rock, with two unequal pinnacles 200 meters high, the remains of a flooded mountain range, where monks came to meditate and seek communion with God, after they struggled to the top of Skellig Michael.

When I climbed those 650+ steps I was too exhausted to meditate, all I could do was lie on the rocky slopes and look up at the rolling clouds above me. I remember thinking, I wondered lonely as a cloud, now who wrote that?

Great Skellig rises out of the sea like a medieval cathedral. It is one of a number of rock like structures associated with the European cult of Saint Michael The Archangel. Mount St Michel in Brittany and Saint Michaels Mount in Cornwall are of the same creed.

Early in the 8th century a band of monks came to Skellig Rock, struggled to the top and built 6 dry stone bee-hive huts, 5 oval ones and a square one with a surrounding wall.

The square house has small lockers and stone pegs for hanging satchels suggesting that this place was the library and study room. Nearby is a rectangular oratory or chapel and below this group is a ruined church.

The monks lived on Great Skellig until the 13th century, even though the Vikings attacked them four times.

Little Skellig is a notable haven for seabirds , especially gannets.

There are boat trips to the rock from Portmagee, Valentia Island and Caherciveen. The trip takes around 1-2 hours depending on the size of boat you take and you can spend 3-4 hours exploring the Island.

PS. Choose a calm day when exploring these waters.