Sceilg Mhichíl

Located in the Atlantic Ocean off the west coast of Ireland, the monastic site of Sceilg Mhichíl characterises the extremes of early Christian monasticism. Its extreme isolation has resulted in exceptional levels of preservation including well-preserved access steps, a monastery, a remote hermitage and other monastic structures. In addition, the island embodies the establishment of lighthouses on Ireland’s coast in the 1820s – a project that was particularly challenging along the Atlantic seaboard. Sceilg Mhichíl is also one of Ireland’s most important sites for breeding seabirds, both for the diversity of the species and the size of the colonies it supports. Its extreme location off Ireland’s Atlantic west coast leaves the heritage of the island particularly exposed to the impact of extreme weather.

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