Skelligs Lighthouse
Skelligs Lighthouse has a focal height of 53 metres, a tower height of 12 metres and a range of 12 nautical miles. It was built in 1826.
- Focal height
- 53 metres
- Tower height
- 12 metres
- Range
- 12 nautical miles
- Built
- 1826
- Coordinates
- 51.768, -10.542
Skellig Michael is a twin-pinnacled island located approximately 11.6 kilometers west of the Iveragh Peninsula in County Kerry, Ireland. The island is named after the archangel Michael and has a steep and inhospitable landscape, with its highest point, the Spit, standing at 218 meters above sea level. The island consists of approximately 54 acres of rock and is best known for its Gaelic monastery, founded between the 6th and 8th centuries, and its variety of inhabiting species.
The monastery on the northern peak is situated at an elevation of 550-600 feet above sea level, and can be approached by narrow and steep flights of stone steps. The island was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, recognizing its cultural significance and unusually well-preserved monastic settlement. The island is inaccessible for most of the year due to its exposed nature and difficult crossing from the mainland, but is accessible during the summer months.
Skellig Michael is also home to a variety of wildlife, including gannets, puffins, razorbills, and grey seals. The island's unique history and natural beauty make it a significant cultural and historical site, and it is considered one of Ireland's most important and fascinating attractions.
Light and tower
It lies on the North Atlantic. The light has a focal height of 53 metres. The light has a range of 12 nautical miles.
Videos
Details
- Range Nm
- 12
- Year Built
- 1826/1967
- Description
- The interior of the main building is long and wide. The enclosure wall is made from mostly small stones. Although it is now worn and mostly knocked down, it would once have been around high. Today the interior is full of stone rubble fallen from the structure and the fragments of a tall stone cross. The leacht outside of it was probably used as a shrine or altar; it is too small to have been a burial site.
- Body Of Water
- North Atlantic
- Location Text
- Kerry
- Focal Height M
- 53
- Tower Height M
- 12