31 July 2014, The Tablet

Star of the sea


 
The eighth-century monastery on the remote island of Skellig Michael in south-west Ireland harks bark to an ancient monasticism but has now taken on a more futuristic role as a location for the latest Star Wars film.Cast and crew for Star Wars: Episode 7 arrived on Tuesday on the island famous for its distinctive beehive hermitages, which were abandoned in around the twelfth century.The film follows the lives of Luke Skywalker, Han Solo and Princess Leia after the events of 1983’s Return of the Jedi, and there is speculation that Skellig Michael could be the location for a new Jedi Academy established by Luke Skywalker.Not everyone is happy about film crews descending on the island, which is a Unesco World Heritage Site. Unesco has asked the Irish Government for a report on the use
Get Instant Access

Continue Reading


Register for free to read this article in full


Subscribe for unlimited access

From just £30 quarterly

  Complete access to all Tablet website content including all premium content.
  The full weekly edition in print and digital including our 179 years archive.
  PDF version to view on iPad, iPhone or computer.

Already a subscriber? Login