The stunning Skellig Islands lie about 8 miles (12 km) off the coast of Portmagee in South West Kerry.
Skellig Michael is named after the archangel Michael, while “Skellig” is derived from the Irish word sceilig, meaning a splinter of stone.
Most famously, Skellig Michael is the site of an old Irish monastery, founded in the 6th or 7th century, and is a UNESCO World Heritage.
The monastery, renowned its bee hive huts, also encompasses the ruins of a church, a large and small oratory, a garden and graveyard.
The island was abandoned by the thirteen century but was still used by monks as a place of pilgrimage for centuries after.
The islands are home to numerous species of wildlife, including gannets, puffins, razorbills, and a colony of grey seals.
In recent years, the island has been used as a filming location for the Star Wars film franchise, bringing a new generation of visitors to the area.
On the nearby Little Skellig Island, 23,000 pairs of gannet nest on every available ledge making it the second-largest gannet colony in the world.
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