Archaeological Sites in County Kerry - Skellig Michael, Ardfert Cathedral, Ferriter's Cove, Reask, Staigue Stone Fort, Innisfallen Island (Paperback)

Chapters: Skellig Michael, Ardfert Cathedral, Ferriter's Cove, Reask, Staigue Stone Fort, Innisfallen Island, Eightercua, Uragh Stone Circle. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 28. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt: Skellig Michael (from Sceilig Mhichil in the Irish language, meaning Michael's rock), also known as Great Skellig, is a steep rocky island in the Atlantic Ocean about 9 miles (12 kilometres) from the coast of County Kerry, Ireland. It is the larger of the two Skellig Islands. After probably being founded in the 7th century, for 600 years the island was a centre of monastic life for Irish Christian monks. The Celtic monastery, which is situated almost at the summit of the 230-metre-high rock became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. It is one of Europe's better known but least accessible monasteries. Since the extreme remoteness of Skellig Michael has until recently discouraged visitors, the site is exceptionally well preserved. The very spartan conditions inside the monastery illustrate the ascetic lifestyle practiced by early Irish Christians. The monks lived in stone 'beehive' huts (clochans), perched above nearly vertical cliff walls. This terraced monastic site was originally approached by three flights of vertiginous steps (leading from different landing places) which met at Christ's Valley, the saddle between the peaks. The modern path to the lighthouse meets the southern flight of steps. The monastery comprises six intact clochans, two oratories, 31 early grave slabs, a monolithic cross and the 13th century church of St Michael. The dry-stone walls of the clochans are almost 2m thick, square in plan and with circular roofs. Most have wall recesses but no windows. The two largest have projecting corbels inside and out used for securing thatch or stopping sods from ...More: http: //booksllc.net/?id=24257