An Adventure on Skellig Michael

Off the southwest coast of Ireland sitting in the wild Irish sea are a few small islands called the Skellig Islands. Of the two islands, Skellig Michael is the largest and the only one open to visitors. Skellig was founded sometime between the 6th and 8th centuries as a Gaelic Monastery which remains of still exist there today. But now, it’s most famous for the wildlife that inhabits the island such as puffins, razorbills, and grey seals with dolphins and whales swimming about just off the coast. Oh, and some people may recognize the islands which was prominently shown in a small feature film called… Star Wars Episode VII “The Force Awakens.”

 Skellig Michael is often overlooked by the average tourist and even for the tourists that have this on their radar, it’s still difficult to get to. Tours are small as there is a limited number of people allowed on the island daily and they book-up months in advance. Lucky for us, we were able to snag a few spots through skelligislands.com on Casey’s Tours at the end of the season.

 But, the Irish Sea is VERY rough and the boats that bring tourists to the island are VERY small. I’m talking 6 people per boat small. Because of the unpredictable weather and seas, it’s not a guarantee that tours will even go out every day and they don’t make the call until literally the morning of.

 We stayed in Portmagee, the small town that the tours run out of the night before our tour. We chose to stay the The Moorings Guesthouse because it was right across the street from where our tour took off. Bonus, they also offer to make you a lunch to take with you on the boats since you’ll be gone most of the day!

 Tip: I highly suggest either packing yourself a lunch or opting in for a lunch service such as this one.

 The morning of our tour, our boat almost didn’t go out. The seas were rough but at the very last minute they decided to take the risk. It was over an hour boat ride to the island and it was ROUGH. We took sea sickness pills before we left and they also provided us with some ginger when we boarded. I’m so glad we took these precautions because the boat was rocking so much in the waves that I honestly thought we were going to flip over. And more than one person threw up on the way.

 We were the first boat to arrive to the island and we were greeted by a few staff members to go over the rules. It was windy, and slippery from the rain so we had a long lecture about taking precautions while climbing up the very uneven surface to the top of the monastery.

 Tip: If you’re not in good shape or very clumsy then this tour is not for you. It’s scary, it’s steep and there are no railings to protect you from falling. It’s in the middle of the sea, so the wind is strong. I definitely do not recommend bringing children or the elderly. Instead, opt in for the boat only tour which does not land on the island but takes you around instead.

 The climb to the top of the island took about a half hour. Once we arrived there, we were able to explore a little bit and enjoy the views. Luckily, the rain stopped for a bit so it was much more enjoyable.

 There was another staff member at the top that gave us a quick 20-minute talk about the history of the island. By the end of his talk, the next boat loads of people had made their way to the top so we decided to start heading back down but to take our time and enjoy the view more.

 Unfortunately for us, our visit was at the end of the season (September) and the Puffins were no longer on the island. But, in the summertime they take over the island. I hope to one day be able to go back when they are!

 The boat ride back to Portmagee was much more relaxing. On the way back, the boat driver took us around “Little Skellig” which is the smaller island of the Skellig Islands and is inhabited by the largest colony of gannets!

 After our adventurous day, it was time to head back to Dublin. But, we planned a few stops along the way.

First we stopped at Skellig Chocolate. It’s just down the road from Portmagee and they’ll give you free chocolate!

Then we drove through the Gap of Dunloe. The Gap of Dunloe is a narrow mountain pass forged between the MacGillycuddy Reeks and Purple Mountain by glacial flow. It’s mind-blowingly beautiful and worth driving a little out of the way for. Be prepared to take it slow though, there are lots of cars driving through and many people who stop for photos and to take in the view!

The Skellig Michael tours run from Mid-April until the end of September!