UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Ireland

UNESCO's Description

The three main prehistoric sites of the Brú na Bóinne Complex, Newgrange, Knowth and Dowth, are situated on the north bank of the River Boyne 50 km north of Dublin. This is Europe's largest and most important concentration of prehistoric megalithic art. The monuments there had social, economic, religious and funerary functions.

From the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (CC BY-SA IGO 3.0).

Description

The area has been a centre of human settlement for at least 6,000 years, but the major structures date to around 5,000 years ago, from the Neolithic period.

The site is a complex of Neolithic mounds, chamber tombs, standing stones, henges and other prehistoric enclosures. The site predates the Egyptian pyramids and was built with sophistication and a knowledge of science and astronomy, which is most evident in the passage grave of Newgrange. The site is often referred to as the "Bend of the Boyne" and this is often (incorrectly) taken to be a translation of Brú na Bóinne. The associated archaeological culture is often called the Boyne culture.

The site covers 780 ha (1,927 acres) and contains around 40 passage graves, as well as other prehistoric sites and later features.

Location

The area is located eight kilometres west of Drogheda in County Meath, Ireland, in a bend of the River Boyne. It is around 40 kilometres north of Dublin.

Brú na Bóinne is surrounded on its southern, western and eastern sides by the Boyne; additionally, a small tributary of the Boyne, the River Mattock, runs along the northern edge, almost completely surrounding Brú na Bóinne with water. All but two of the prehistoric sites are on this river peninsula.

Key Facts

Facts from Wikidata Q339489 (CC0).

Visiting Brú na Bóinne

Brú na Bóinne (meaning "Palace of the Boyne") is a remarkable complex of Neolithic chamber tombs, standing stones, henges and other prehistoric structures. It's by the banks of the River Boyne in County Meath, 40 km north of Dublin and 8 km west of Drogheda.

Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Brú Na Bóinne Archaeological Park (CC BY-SA 4.0).

UNESCO's Description

Sceilg Mhichíl is an outstanding, and in many respects unique, example of an early religious settlement deliberately sited on a pyramidal rock in the ocean, preserved because of a remarkable environment. It illustrates, as no other property can, the extremes of a Christian monasticism characterizing much of North Africa, the Near East, and Europe.

From the UNESCO World Heritage Centre (CC BY-SA IGO 3.0).

Geography

Skellig Michael is a steep, pyramidal and rugged rock (or "crag") of c. 18 ha (45 acres) on the Atlantic coast off the Iveragh Peninsula of County Kerry. It is 11.7 km (7+1⁄4 mi) west-northwest of Bolus Head, at the southern end of Saint Finian's Bay. Its twin island, Little Skellig, is a mile closer to land and far more inhospitable because of its sheer cliff faces. The small Lemon Rock island is 3.6 km (2+1⁄4 mi) further inland. The nearby Puffin Island is another seabird colony. The Skelligs, along with some of the Blasket Islands, constitute the most westerly part of both Ireland and Europe, excluding Iceland.

Ecology

Skellig Michael is lined by exposed sea cliffs and three bays. Its inland is mostly thin soil on steep ground, with patches of vegetation which are, however, exposed to sea spray. Nonetheless, it has an ecology far more diverse than on the mainland; as an island, it provides sanctuary for a wide variety of flora and fauna, many of which are unusual to Ireland. It contains a large range of seabirds, now protected by the island's status as a nature reserve owned by the state. The Skellig Islands were classified as a Special Protection Area in 1986 when they were recognised for containing an unusually large variety and population of birds.

The island hosts eyries for peregrine falcons.

History

Monks of the Celtic Christian tradition founded a monastery on Skellig Michael sometime between the 6th and 8th centuries. Like many early Christian sites in Kerry, it is said to have been founded by Saint Fionán in the early 6th century, though historians doubt this. Many of the islands off the south-west coast of Ireland have early Christian monasteries; the region was favoured because of its isolation and the abundance of rock for building. There is a concentration of monasteries off the Iveragh and Dingle peninsulas.

The first definite reference to monastic activity on the island is a record of the death of "Suibhini of Skelig" dating from the 8th century. The Annals of the Four Masters detail events at the Skelligs between the 9th and 11th centuries.

Access and tourism

Skellig Michael has three landing points, used according to prevailing weather conditions. The island receives an average of 11,000 visitors per year; to protect the site, the Office of Public Works limits visitors to 180 per day. The local climate and exposed terrain make the crossing from the mainland to Skellig Michael difficult. Once landed, the island's pathways are steep and unprotected. The main pathway to the island's peak consists of 600 stone steps.

Skellig Michael's remoteness and inaccessibility have long discouraged visitors, and thus it is exceptionally well preserved. Tourism began in the late 19th century when rowing boats could be hired for 25 shillings.

Key Facts

Facts from Wikidata Q207193 (CC0).

Visiting Skellig Michael

Skellig Michael (Sceilig Mhichíl) or "Great Skellig" is a small uninhabited island 12 km off the coast of County Kerry in southwest Ireland. Its twin crags, rising to 218 m (714 ft), have the remains of an ancient monastery perched above an often-roiling sea. The place is named for the Archangel Michael, as one of the few beings that could alight upon such a remote spot, and it's inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List.

Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Skellig Michael (CC BY-SA 4.0).