Skellig Michael
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| Year | Decision | Comments |
| 1996 | Inscribed | Reasons for inscription |
Reviews
Ian Cade (England): 
My experience of visiting this site was absolutely fantastic, visiting World Heritage sites can take to the end of the earth, which is almost literally where Skellig Michael was when it was first inhabited. It was to these monastic retreats on the edge of Europe that the western Christian church effectively retreated to after the fall of Rome.
Skellig Michael is the larger of the two Skellig Islands situated some 12km off the coast of County Kerry, and it is home to a small monastery founded in the seventh century. The bulk of the monastery is on one of the islands two peaks and consists of a few small enclosures and several beehive cells (pictured)which the monks lived in year round. Whilst the remains are not massive they are impressive and more considerable than I imagined them to be. It is their setting that makes them spectacular though, they are perched atop a rather large stone hill surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean.
This setting also makes them a fair challenge to get to, the climb from the base of the island is much more precarious than I had imagined, though the accompaniment of a few puffins made it more enjoyable. The dry-stone stair way meanders up the side of the island, at times leaving only sheer cliffs between you and the Atlantic, and as it was originally laid some 1000 years ago it does not provide such modern luxuries as guard rails. This is not a climb I would recommend for a casual afternoon stroll. For me the climb was worth every single moment as the top was breathtaking, the natural setting alone was worth the effort, and the monastery just made me euphoric.
On the other peak there is another small collection of beehive cells, as well as a hermitage, and it is very strongly advised not to visit these, although some people did attempt it once I saw the crossing I could not find the stomach to even contemplate it.
The boat trip out there takes about 1h 30m and be prepared to get very wet, even on calm days. It takes you past Small Skellig (island in picture) which is a birdwatcher’s paradise. Europe’s second largest colony of Gannets dive down from all around, accompanied by Puffins, Guillemots, Seals, Dolphins and a whole host of others to keep you entertained.
Mainland Kerry is also pretty spectacular, especially the drive on the Skellig Ring between Ballinskelligs and Portmagee. The later is the best place I think to head out from as the Skellig Experience museum is there and it is also the home port of Des Lavelle the very friendly and endlessly informative historian of the island, I would recommend hunting him out. In 2006 it cost €40 for the trip giving you about 2 hours on the island enough time to get up down and have a picnic on the way.
This shows the joy of visiting UNESCO sites, without its listing I would probably have never heard of it but my visit was one of the best experiences I have had. I rank the sites I visit out of 10 and this one received a 9, not bad as only the Grand Canyon and Rome received full marks. If you are reasonably fit, have a few days on your hands, and a bit of nerve for the climb I cannot recommend a site any stronger than this one. Date posted: May 2006 Axel Fries (Sweden):
Skellig Michael is a tiny island and you have to go there by a small boat, the joutney takes about an hour and the prize is a steep 35 euro but I manged to get it down to 20. The island rises 240m from the sea and you have to climb stairs all the way up to top to visit the very well preserved monastery.
Skellig Michael is inscribed by UNESCO as a cultural heritage but the natural beauty and the wildlife is even more stunning. Puffins and other birds have their nests everywhere on the island. They dive out from the cliffs and seems not scared at all by the humans.
There is a lot of tourists on the island even with the remoteness and the high cost to get there. But it still is a very special and beautiful site, one of my favorites so far. Date posted: January 2006 Hally Windsor (Australia):
It was brilliant! I have never seen anything like it! Idid a guided tour of the island and found out so much. If I could do it all again I would! oonagh Ryan-King (United States):
i discovered skellig michael in the fall of 97 while taking a Xan celtic spirituality class at the GTU in berkeley CA...the island of liminality haunted me; i wrote my paper for this class on skellig; it is my "place of resurrection."..in aug 99 i visited skellig--it is so much more than any book can describe or even my fertile imagination! the isolation, the stark beauty, the darkness of a beehive cell, the tiny steps carved into and from the rock itself....connected. One...certainly a holy, sacred place....the rock face that once held "the spit" was not open to pilgrims, i am sad to say....it was a warm (for anywhere, but especially for ireland) day, so i could only imagine what skellig must feel like in cold, pouring irish rain in winter....it was very hard to leave such a magnificent place....i can only imagine what skellig is like under a full moon or a new moon with the sky filled with stars...i wonder how disorienting those steps are in fog and clouds.....i would love to be get permission to stay overnight on skellig...
be prepared if you go--to layer for warmth (it was so warm that, within ten minutes of being on the island, the german tourists and i had stripped down to next to nothing). also wear comfortable hiking boots...AND don't drink lots of water before or during the skellig experience; there is no toilet, loo, or bathroom! reclaim the hydration at the first pub when you return to land
Have you been to Skellig Michael? Share your experiences!
- Skellig Michael
- Country: Ireland
- Year: 1996
- Category: Religious structure, Christian
- Connections:
Domes . Celtic history . Uninhabited islands .
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