Skellig Michael*
UNESCO World Heritage Site
State Party	Ireland
Type	Cultural
Criteria	iii, iv
Reference	757
Region†	Europe and North America
Inscription History
Inscription	1996  (20th Session)
* Name as inscribed on World Heritage List. † Region as classified by UNESCO.

Skellig Michael (from Sceilig Mhichíl in the Irish language, meaning Michael's rock), also known as Great Skellig, is a steep rocky island about 15 kilometres west of the coast of County Kerry, Ireland. It is the larger of the two Skellig Islands. For 600 years the island was an important centre of monastic life for Irish Christian monks. An Irish Celtic monastery, which is situated almost at the summit of the 230-metre-high rock, was built in 588, and became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. It is one of Europe's better known but least accessible monasteries. A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... As of 2006, there are a total of 830 World Heritage Sites located in 138 State Parties. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Ireland. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... This is a list of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Europe. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State... This article is about the modern Goidelic language. ... ‹ The template below (Unit of length) is being considered for deletion. ... Statistics Province: Munster County Town: Tralee Code: KY Area: 4,746 km² Population (2006) 139,616 Website: www. ... SE landing on Great Skellig Skellig Michael Little Skellig Little Skellig seen from Skellig Michael The Skellig Islands are two small, steep and rocky islands lying about 16 km west of Bolus Head on the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. ... For other uses, see Christian (disambiguation). ... Monastery of St. ... Events The Lombards are converted to Catholic Christianity. ... UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is a specialized agency of the United Nations established in 1945. ... A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a specific site (such as a forest, mountain, lake, desert, monument, building, complex, or city) that has been nominated and confirmed for inclusion on the list maintained by the international World Heritage Programme administered by the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, composed of 21 State...

Since the extreme remoteness of Skellig Michael has until recently discouraged visitors, the site is exceptionally well preserved. The very spartan conditions inside the monastery illustrate the ascetic lifestyle practiced by early Irish Christians. The monks lived in stone 'beehive' huts (clochans), perched above nearly vertical cliff walls. Fahan Clochans on the slopes of Mount Eagle, Dingle Peninsula, Kerry, Ireland A Clochan is drystone hut with a corbelled roof, dating from the early middle ages. ...

History

Skellig Michael

The monastery on Skellig Michael survived a number of Viking raids in the 9th century, notably in 823, was later significantly expanded, with a new chapel built around the start of the second millennium. The community at Skellig Michael was apparently never large - probably about 12 monks and an abbot. Some time in the 12th century the monks abandoned the Skellig and moved to the Augustinian Monastery at Ballinskelligs on the mainland. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 142 KB) Skellig Michael, an island 12 km west of County Kerry in Ireland. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2048x1536, 142 KB) Skellig Michael, an island 12 km west of County Kerry in Ireland. ... For other uses, see Viking (disambiguation). ... Events Crete is conquered from the Byzantines by the Saracens. ... A Roman Catholic monk A monk is a person who practices monasticism, adopting a strict religious and ascetic lifestyle, usually in community with others following the same path. ... Abbots coat of arms The word abbot, meaning father, has been used as a Christian clerical title in various, mainly monastic, meanings. ... West view of St. ...

Starting in the 1500s, Skellig Michael became a popular destination for annual pilgrimages, but had no permanent residents. In the 19th century two lighthouses were built and the Great Skellig was again inhabited, this time by a changing rota of lighthouse keepers. The second lighthouse still operates, though it was largely rebuilt during the 1960s and has been automated since the 1980s. In 1986 some restoration work was done and an official tourist bureau associated with the island was established. However restrictions have recently been imposed on tourist access, in the belief that tourist numbers (in particular use of the ancient stone steps up the rock) were causing a worrying degree of damage to the site. Alternative methods that would preserve the site while allowing public access are being considered. Year 1986 (MCMLXXXVI) was a common year starting on Wednesday (link displays 1986 Gregorian calendar). ...

On Monday, 30th of July 2007, long-distance swimmer Robert Bohane from Ballinhassig in County Cork became the first person to ever swim from Skellig Michael to the mainland. The swim began at 9:07am and ended 6 hours and 29 minutes later when Robert landed at the slip in Portmagee to approximately 200 family, friends and supporters. The swim was 11.6 miles (18.7 kilometers) in length. Ballinhassig (Irish: Béal Átha an Cheasaigh) is a village south of Cork City, in County Cork, Ireland. ... Statistics Province: Munster County Town: Cork Code: C (CK proposed) Area: 7,457 km² Population (2006) 480,909 (including City of Cork); 361,766 (without Cork City) Website: www. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 51. ...

Nature reserve

Christ's Saddle pathway

Along with its smaller neighbour, Little Skellig, Great Skellig is an important nature reserve. Between them the Skelligs hold nationally important populations of a number of seabirds, including gannet, fulmar, kittiwake, razorbill, common guillemot, and Atlantic puffin. Storm petrels and Manx shearwaters also nest in large numbers. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 479 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (511 × 640 pixel, file size: 74 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Skellig Michaels steps, Ireland. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 479 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (511 × 640 pixel, file size: 74 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) Skellig Michaels steps, Ireland. ... Little Skellig is the smaller of the two Skellig Islands, situated some 14 km off the coast of County Kerry, Ireland. ... It has been suggested that Reserve design be merged into this article or section. ... The Sooty Tern is highly aerial and marine and will spend years flying at sea without returning to land. ... Binomial name Morus bassanus Linnaeus, 1758 Northern Gannet range The Northern Gannet (Morus bassanus, formerly Sula bassana) is a large seabird of the gannet family, Sulidae. ... Species (Linnaeus, 1761) (A. Smith, 1840) For other uses, see Fulmar (disambiguation). ... Species Rissa tridactyla Rissa brevirostris The Kittiwakes (genus Rissa) are two closely related seabird species in the gull family Laridae. ... Binomial name Alca torda Linnaeus, 1758 The Razorbill, Alca torda, is a large alcid, 38-43 cm in length, with a 60-69 cm wingspan. ... Binomial name Uria aalge (Pontoppidan, 1763) The Common Guillemot, known as the Common Murre in North America, Uria aalge, is a large alcid. ... Binomial name (Linnaeus, 1758) The Atlantic Puffin (Fratercula arctica) is a seabird in the auk family. ... Binomial name Hydrobates pelagicus (Linnaeus, 1758) The European Storm-petrel or Storm Petrel (Hydrobates pelagicus) is a small bird of the storm-petrel family, Hydrobatidae, part of the seabird order Procellariiformes. ... Binomial name Puffinus puffinus (Brünnich, 1764) Synonyms Procellaria puffinus Brünnich, 1764 The Manx Shearwater (Puffinus puffinus) is a medium-sized shearwater in the seabird family Procellariidae. ...

See also

• The popular children's book Skellig by David Almond features a boy named Michael.
• Loreena McKennitt's song Skellig relates the dying words of a monk from this monastery.

Skellig is a childrens book by David Almond, for which Almond was given the Carnegie Medal in 1998 and also the Whitbread Childrens Book of the Year Award. ... David Almond is a British childrens writer who has penned several novels, each one to critical acclaim. ... Loreena McKennitt live on stage Loreena McKennitt, C.M. (b. ... The Book of Secrets is an album by Loreena McKennitt released in 1997. ...

External links

• World Heritage web page
• The Forgotten Hermitage - very thorough website
• Skellig Monastery photos

Coordinates: 51°46′N, 10°32′W Map of Earth showing lines of latitude (horizontally) and longitude (vertically), Eckert VI projection; large version (pdf, 1. ...