Skellig Michael is one of the most extraordinary places in Ireland — and arguably one of the most extraordinary places in the world. A twin-peaked rock rising 218 metres from the Atlantic Ocean, 12 kilometres off the Kerry coast, it is home to a monastic settlement founded by early Christian monks around the 6th century. For over 600 years, a small community of monks lived, prayed, and died on this impossibly remote outcrop, clinging to the cliff face in beehive-shaped stone huts that have survived largely intact for over a millennium.

The monastery sits near the south peak of the island, reached by climbing 618 ancient stone steps cut directly into the rock face. The steps are steep, uneven, and completely exposed — there are no handrails, no safety nets, and no concessions to modern comfort. The climb takes about 45 minutes and demands a reasonable level of fitness and a head for heights. At the top, the monastic enclosure contains six beehive cells, two oratories, a cemetery, and several carved stone crosses — all in a state of preservation that is almost miraculous given the ferocity of the Atlantic weather.

The monks who lived here were part of the great flowering of Irish monasticism that followed the arrival of Christianity in Ireland in the 5th century. Isolated from the political upheavals of mainland Europe, Irish monks developed a distinctive form of Christianity that placed enormous value on scholarship, illuminated manuscripts, and extreme asceticism. Life on Skellig Michael would have been brutally hard — the monks survived on fish, seabirds, and whatever they could grow in small garden plots, enduring Atlantic storms that could last for weeks. The island was raided by Vikings at least three times in the 9th century.

The island gained a new generation of admirers when it was used as a filming location for Star Wars: The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, standing in for the planet Ahch-To where Luke Skywalker had gone into exile. The choice was inspired — the island's otherworldly atmosphere, the ancient stone cells, and the sheer drama of the setting made it a perfect backdrop for a hermit at the edge of the galaxy. Visitor numbers increased significantly after the films were released, which has added to the pressure on the island's fragile heritage.

Little Skellig, the smaller of the two Skellig rocks, is not open to visitors but is visible from the boat and from the island. It is home to one of the largest gannet colonies in the world — around 70,000 breeding pairs — and the sight and sound of the colony is extraordinary. The boat trip out to Skellig Michael also passes through waters rich in marine life: dolphins, grey seals, basking sharks, and minke whales are all regularly spotted. Even if the monastery were not there, the journey alone would be worth making. Skellig Michael sits at the far end of the Ring of Kerry — the boat departure points at Portmagee and Ballinskelligs are on the Iveragh Peninsula — making it a natural centrepiece for a Kerry road trip that also takes in Killarney National Park and the Dingle Peninsula.