Skellig Michael is as remote a place as you can find. About eight miles west of the most westerly part of Kerry. The co-ordinates of the 'rock' are
N 51º-46' and W 10º-32'
Skellig Michael


This spectacular rock is called the Great Skellig or Skellig Michael. In Irish it is known as Scellig Mhicheíl.

The summit is about 700 feet high.

It was a Monastic settlement and place of pilgrimage from the 6th Centuary.

The Monks lived in 'beehive' cells or huts while on the rock, probably during the Summer months as high seas and gales from the Atlantic would make access to the rock in Winter quite impossible. There is virtually no vegetation on the rock so providing food, other than catching fish or trapping sea birds is not possible. There is no source of fresh water on the rock other than from rain. It is highly unlikely that the Monks stayed on the rock for long periods of time.

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