Little Skellig


Little Skellig is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, 11 km south-west of Valentia Island in County Kerry, Ireland.

Geography

Little Skellig is the smaller of the two Skellig Islands, the other being Skellig Michael, 1 km to the south-west. The island has a large bird population, including a colony of northern gannets which is the largest in Ireland, and one of the largest in the world. The island, together with Skellig Michael, is the centre of a 364 ha Important Bird Area established by BirdWatch Ireland in 2000.

Access

Landing on Little Skellig is not permitted.

Popular culture

The "Skellige Isles" or "Skellige" in the series The Witcher is based on the Skellig Islands. The word Skellig derives from the Irish "Sceilg", which can be translated into "Rock" or "Cliff".