It’s not for nothing that Ireland is known as the island of saints and scholars. In Early Christian times it was home to a wealth of monasteries within which monks created wondrous illuminated manuscripts, taught languages and literature and generated a love of learning, spirituality and the arts that still resonates in the Ireland of today.
One of the most remarkable early monastic sites in Ireland is Skellig Michael. A jagged island lying off the coast of County Kerry on the Wild Atlantic Way, it was chosen by sixth-century monks for their monastery, and their stone-built, beehive homes are an impressive sight. Now a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the island has also gained modern-day fame as the hideout for Luke Skywalker in Star Wars: The Force Awakens as well as starring in The Last Jedi.
In the stunning setting of Wicklow Mountains National Park lie echoes of a time past in the shape of high crosses, ruined churches and an imposing 33m-high round tower, which still stands intact. These are the remains of the sixth-century monastic city of Glendalough, a jewel of Ireland’s Ancient East.