Skellig
14th May 2010
For the past few days I have been walking in the footsteps of the saints. There are a number of magic places in Ireland but Skellig Michael and its little brother, Little Skellig, put them all in their place. Even from the mainland these two rocks off the Kerry coast have something special about them. Actually walking on Skellig Michael was as close to a spiritual experience as I ever got. I am far from being a religious person but I have been fascinated by Skellig Michael and its history for a long time and finally being there really had an impact on me. It was one of these experiences that can't be put in words and I even feel that my images can't do justice to the place.
For those who haven't heard of Skellig Michael here are a few bits and pieces of its history: Skellig Michael is a small island around 12km of the Kerry coast. Around 600AD Saint Finan and 12 fellow monks founded a small monastery there to seek isolation and solitude. The lifestyle the lead can only be imagined. There are no wells on the island, no fuel to light fire and the weather conditions can be atrocious to say the least. On top of that the monastery was built on top of the 230m high rock surrounded by almost vertical cliffs. The monastery lasted for around 600 years and later became a place of pilgrimage.
From a photographer's view the only downside of visiting Skellig Michael is that the rock can only be accessed during midday, the worst time of the day for landscape photography, and that this particular photographer has a problem with heights. Climbing the 600 or so steps to the monastery was not only a spiritual but also a frightening experience for myself.
As for Little Skellig this is one of the wild wonders of Ireland. It's the New York city of Gannets and a sight that has to be experienced. Every ledge of rock seems to be occupied and the sky around the rock is always swarming with birds.
P.S. A big thank you to the couple from Portsmouth who hold up the boat for me and apologies to the girl from Germany (Madelaine I think...) who knew my books: Would have loved to stay for a chat but I was (very, very, ...) late for my boat.
For those who haven't heard of Skellig Michael here are a few bits and pieces of its history: Skellig Michael is a small island around 12km of the Kerry coast. Around 600AD Saint Finan and 12 fellow monks founded a small monastery there to seek isolation and solitude. The lifestyle the lead can only be imagined. There are no wells on the island, no fuel to light fire and the weather conditions can be atrocious to say the least. On top of that the monastery was built on top of the 230m high rock surrounded by almost vertical cliffs. The monastery lasted for around 600 years and later became a place of pilgrimage.
From a photographer's view the only downside of visiting Skellig Michael is that the rock can only be accessed during midday, the worst time of the day for landscape photography, and that this particular photographer has a problem with heights. Climbing the 600 or so steps to the monastery was not only a spiritual but also a frightening experience for myself.
As for Little Skellig this is one of the wild wonders of Ireland. It's the New York city of Gannets and a sight that has to be experienced. Every ledge of rock seems to be occupied and the sky around the rock is always swarming with birds.
P.S. A big thank you to the couple from Portsmouth who hold up the boat for me and apologies to the girl from Germany (Madelaine I think...) who knew my books: Would have loved to stay for a chat but I was (very, very, ...) late for my boat.
