Visiting Skellig Michael was one of the things I was most looking forward to on our trip to Ireland. Tours are limited and because of the timing of travel near the end of the pandemic, and weather which cooperated, we were fortunate to embark on the tour. Leaving the harbor of Portmagee, for our 50-minute boat ride, early on September 3, 2021, we were joined by some playful dolphins.
We first approached "Little Skellig", the smaller of the two Skellig Islands. The island has a large bird population, including a colony of northern gannets which is the largest in Ireland, and one of the largest in the world. The island is almost completely covered in guano, which almost makes the peaks appear to be covered in snow. We spotted a couple of seals lounging on it's banks.
As we near Michael Skellig (meaning splinter of stone), the richness of it's green covered rocks is stunning. Although it is not known when the island was first inhabited, some records claim as early as 200 AD. A monastic settlement built in it's cliffs is in unusually good shape. There are 618 steep steps up to the monastery which was built sometime between 600 - 1200 AD. Other structures include a cemetery, beehive huts, and an oratory. The island was made famous after being filmed in several Star Wars movies. It is truly an extraordinarily beautiful place to explore.
Leaving Portmagee, on the Iveragh Peninsula, we drove the Ring of Skellig circuit. Here we found the dramatic (and perhaps more beautiful than the famous Cliffs of Moher) Kerry cliffs. It is landscapes like these that will forever be sketched on my mind, and recounted as I tell others why a vacation to Ireland is a must-do!
We proceeded to take a quick look at Derrynane beach which is known as one of the best beaches in Ireland. We could see the ruins of an Abbey nearby. This would have been a lovely place to spend the day - but we still had a lot of ground yet to cover.
Getting back onto the north side of the Kerry Ring, our next stop was at Ballycarbery Castle - or at least what is left of it. I couldn't help but think this would make a fun wedding photo backdrop.
Just down the road was another ringed fort that we visited briefly. I was transfixed by the charming homes and surroundings of the fort. This one, Cahergal Fort, had more details to it than Staigue.
Our last stop along the Ring of Kerry was to see Rossbeigh Beach on Dingle Bay. Because we were running short on time, we didn't get beyond the dunes to see the beach, which is known to be one of the best surfing and wind-surfing beaches around. I did, however, notice the nice variety of rock colors along the shore.
We arrived in Killarney, where we would spend the night, with just enough time for dinner and a little exploring in town. It was fun to get a sense of what fashions were typical for the country. Wool is certainly the fabric of choice!
We would awake to an adventurous day in Killarney National Park.
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