Skellig Michael Travel Guide

These Beehive huts were where the monks of the Island lived – there was little room for luxury.

Star Wars Jedi

The main reason that Skellig Michael is famous today is that both Skellig Islands appeared in both the 2015 and the 2017 Star Wars films Episodes VII and VIII. Skellig Michael featured heavily as Luke Skywalker’s island hideaway, where he trained Rey in the ways of becoming a Jedi. The iconic triangular silhouette of the Skellig Islands makes the Skelligs both unique and immediately recognisable – and entirely unforgettable.

Medieval Monks

Historically, Skellig Michael was inhabited from around the 6th century onwards when a group of monks withdrew from civilisation and took residence on the island. Between the 6th and 8th centuries, a monastery was founded on Skellig Michael and the famous stone ‘beehive huts’ were built by the Christian monks as habitations for those who chose to reside on the island.

Skellig Michael History

Skellig Michael was a symbol of friendship between the Vikings and the Christian monks on the island, as Olaf Tryggvason, future king of Norway, was baptised on the island in 993 AD. In typical Viking fashion, this ‘friendship’ only came into existence after the Vikings attempted to raid the area in 823 AD.

The iconic location is famous for making an appearance in Irish legend – the myth is that the king of the world, Daire Domhain, used Skellig Michael as preparation ground for a magnificent battle with legendary hunter-warrior Finn MacCool (or Fionn mac Cumhaill in Irish) and his band of warriors known as the army of Fianna.

Skellig Michael’s Steps

Skellig Michael is also known for the number of steps on the island. Nobody seems to agree on the exact number of steps – some people will say there are 618 others will say there are 670 steps, but everyone tends to agree that there are between 600 – 700 stone steps. As you climb the rugged stones up 600 ft (180 meters), feel the historical connection with the monks who lived here as you imagine them climbing up these same steps every day hundreds of years ago.

Other Bird Species Include:

• Gannet
• Guillemot
• Storm Petrel
• Manx Shearwater
• Kittiwake
• Razorbill

Learn more about Ireland’s adorable and amazing puffins.

Meet Puffins

Skellig Michael in Irish is called ‘Sceilig Mhichil’ and Great Skellig in the Irish language is named ‘Sceilig Mhor.’

Skellig Michael unquestionably has a distinctive appearance with its huge rock stack standing tall almost as if it is reaching for the heavens. Fittingly and unsurprisingly, the word ‘Skellig’ from Irish Gaelic is translated to mean ‘rock in the sea.’

Today, the islands are more often (but not always) known by their Anglicised versions.