Also known as Great Skellig (Sceilig Mhichíl in Irish[3]), this is the larger of the two islands, with two peaks rising to over 230 m (750 ft) above sea level. With a sixth-century Christian monastery perched at 160 m (520 ft) above sea level on a ledge close to the top of the lower peak, Great Skellig is designated as a UNESCOWorld Heritage Site.
Birdwatch Ireland were concerned that the Irish government allowed filming on a seabird sanctuary without third party consent. During the 2014 nesting season, black-legged kittiwake chicks in nests were swept into the sea by the downdraught from a helicopter and devoured by gulls.[4][5]
The smaller of the two islands is Little Skellig (Sceilig Bheag in Irish).[6] (grid referenceV268618) It is Ireland's largest northern gannet (Morus bassanus) colony with almost 30,000 pairs, and is closed to the public. It is also one of the world's largest northern gannet colonies, and is of international importance.[7] The island's highest point is 134 m (440 ft) above sea level and is located approximately 1.5 km (1 mi) east-northeast of the island of Skellig Michael.
The final scene of Star Wars: The Force Awakens was shot on Skellig in July 2015, with additional filming taking place there in September 2015 for The Last Jedi, the following film in the series. The remains of the Skellig Michael monastery appear in the film, representing an ancient Jedi temple.[10][11]
Earlier, the Skellig Islands served as a location in the Werner Herzog 1976 movie Heart of Glass, where the islands feature in one of the prophecies by the seer Hias.[12]
Certain scenes from the 2012 movie Byzantium were also filmed here.[13]
In the Witcher fantasy literature series and its related video games, 'Skellige' is an archipelago visited by protagonist Geralt of Rivia.[14] In the video game The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt, the inhabitants of the islands can be heard speaking with an Irish accent.[15]
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