Nine miles off the coast of County Kerry in the west of Ireland there are two small rocky islands peeking out of the Atlantic Ocean. The larger of the two, Skellig Michael, is home to something quite extraordinary - a 1400 year old monastery which only a handful of people get to see each year. Who could possibly have wanted to live here - and when?
It is thought that the monastery of Skellig Michael was founded at some point in the seventh century and monastic life persisted there for over 600 years. Why it was abandoned is lost in the sands of time but because of the sheer inaccessibility of the island what the monks left behind remained, through the centuries, remarkably intact.
(thanks Robert-John)
1 comment(s):
"which only a handful of people get to see each year."
Only a handful? In the tourist season when the whether is suitable several tourist boats a day dock there. OK so it's not exactly St Paul's Cathedral in terms of visitor numbers, but it's a lot more than a handful.
Marvelous place if you don't mind the steps. Wear sturdy shoes (it's quite a climb) and even on a hot day take warm clothes - the breeze can be surprisingly chilly.
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