Tom Gross

Skellig Michael is an island located seven miles off the coast of County
Kerry in the southwestern portion of Ireland. It rocky cliff provide a stunning
sight for anyone lucky enough to travel there. Despite its beauty, Skellig is
also dark and mysterious. The islands steep cliffs and jagged rocks almost
guard it from the outside world. It is no surprise that stories and legends
have developed about Skellig Michael and that monks used it as a sanctuary.
It is not known when exactly the first human contact with Skellig
happened. Irish recorded their history and legend orally until the Christian
era. The first recorded contact with the island was around 1400 a.d. The
story goes that Milesius the leader of the pre Celtic tribe Tuatha de danann
two sons were sailing near Skellig. The water was roughed and the ships
were destroyed killing Milesius sons. This old Irish peom recalls their death
Irr lost his life upon the western main;
Skelligs high cliffs the heros bones contain
In the same wreck Arranan too was lost
Nor did his corpse eer touch Iernes coast (Levelle pg. 11)
This story shows the dangers of Skellig and the violent waters off her coast.
The next story takes place in 200 a.d. Daire Domhain who was known as the
King of the World came to Skellig to rest for a day. He did this just before his

epic battle against Fionn mac Cool at Ventry. The conflict lasted one year and
one day. (Levelle pg. 11) This story could mean that the Irish that there was
some kind of power at Skellig and because Daire Domhain rested there for a
day it gave him the strength be victorious. The last pre Christian story is
from 500 a.d century Duagh King of Muster used Skellig to escape Aengus
kind of Cashel. This shows how Skellig can be a place of isolation which is
exactly why the monks choose it. Some monks believe that when you
remove all other distractions from life is when a person is closest to god.
Skellig offered this for monks who were willing to take on the harsh
environment. But if they survived the brutal winters, one could only imagine
the peacefulness of the waves crashing and birds chirping.
Skellig may have been remote and dangerous but it was not out of the
reach of the vicious. The Vikings started raiding the British Isles around the
8th century. They had advanced ships that surpassed any other vessels in the
world. They were light, fast, and durable making perfect landing crafts for
their raids. The first Viking raid on Skellig occurred in 795. The next happen
in 812. During this raid the Vikings captured the Abbot Etgal of the
monastery and starved him to death. These raids were burtal and precise,
the Vikings were masters of their craft. But by the 10th century Christanity
was becoming more popular in Scandinavia. Olva Tryvasson made a visit to
Skellig Michael that was not violent. He would later become King of Norway
and his son, Olva II was baptized on Skellig. (Levelle 13)

By the 16th century Skellig Michael had become a popular pilgrimage

site. People did not go their to see the monks but to do the station of the
cross. The stations at Skellig are not typical. In order to complete them a
person must scale a 217 cliff. It would be an unbelievable site to see people
scaling the steep rock face just to kiss the cross at the top. According to the
Irish, no one ever died attempting the feat except for an Englishman who
was climbing to taunt the Catholics. This seems unlikely due to the extreme
danger of the climb but it makes for a good story. (Levelle pg. 21)
Pilgramages began to change around the 18th century. Young people would
go to the island for Holy Week to fast and pray. Instead they would drink,
dance, and court each other. After a while the Church had enough of it and
stop practice all together. (Levelle pg. 26)
Today people still take pilgrimages to Skellig Michael. While there are
not any Viking attack and people climbing huge cliffs the journey is still
dangerous. But when you make the journey you get to experience one of the
most unique and storied places in the world.