Skellig Michael
County Kerry Iveragh Peninsula
The ‘Rock of St Michael’ is some 8 miles out to sea off the Dingle peninsula. St Fionan is said to have founded the monastery about 650. There are 2 peaks, the monastic site on the lower peak with the bee-hived huts and oratories etc and the hermitage on the higher peak. There are many Cross Slabs.
In 823 Abbot Eitgall was taken from the monastery by Vikings and starved to death while his fellow monks were killed in their sanctuary.
See:
- O’Sullivan A and Sheehan J The Iveragh Peninsula, an Archaeological Survey of S Kerry p278-290
- Horn, Marshall and Rourke The Forgotten Hermitage of Skellig Michael on-line at: Escolarship.org