Star Wars and Skellig Michael

The new Star Wars film entitled ‘The Force Awakens’ contains footage filmed on Skellig Michael, which is an island off the coast of Kerry. This beautiful and unique setting provides the backdrop to some of the final scenes of the film.

World Heritage Site

Skellig Michael, where the Star Wars film The Force Awakens was filmed. Interestingly, Skellig Michael is a Unesco World Heritage Site, and is composed of many historical artefacts that need protecting. It’s amazing that the film was able to get permission to film there and even the film’s director, JJ Abrams, says he was shocked at being allowed to film on the island. However, it does seem that great care was taken as an ecologist was on site to monitor filming activity, who had the authority to stop the shoot if required, but thankfully this wasn’t necessary!

Christian Hermitage

Skellig Michael, where the Star Wars film The Force Awakens was filmed The Skelligs are two islands located about 12km off the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, with Skellig Michael being the larger of the two islands. The island was an early Christian hermitage and the well-preserved remains of the monastery are still in tact today. The monastic site contains six beehive cells, two oratories, stone crosses and slabs and a medieval church. It would have been a tough existence for the monks that inhabited the island until the 12th Century. Visitors are spellbound when they visit the island and learn about the experience of the monks who chose to live in such a remote and inaccessible place.

Boat Trips

Boat trips can be taken to the Skelligs. The boat journey takes about 45 minutes to Skellig Michael and its 6th century monastic settlement. You can also visit small Skellig, where 23,000 gannets nest, making it the second larget gannet colony in the world. A visit to the Skellig Islands is a definite highlight to any trip to Kerry!