Guide service extended after drop in Skellig Michael visitor numbers

UNESCO world heritage site Skellig Michael — one of only two World Heritage sites in the Republic — has experienced a dramatic fall in visitor numbers this year.

In an effort to reverse the slide, the site’s residential guide service has been extended by Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Minister Jimmy Deenihan.

The OPW, which manages the site, says the fall -off in visitors is due to the weather, and not negative publicity surrounding the deaths of two tourists on the island two years ago.

Skellig Michael is the country’s most inaccessible visitor attraction, 12km off the coast of Kerry, and tourists face an arduous sea journey to view its beehive huts and churches perched on a steep hilltop.

A safety audit carried out after the 2009 deaths found mountaineering skills were required for the climb to the monastery.

Guides live on the island on a rotational basis during the official season, which usually lasts from the end of May to late September.

The extension means guides will now be on “the rock”, as it is known locally, until October 17.

“The extension of the season will, in some measure, compensate for the late start of the 2011 season due to adverse weather conditions,” Mr Deenihan said. “This initiative recognises the importance of the tourism industry to Ireland and the commitment of the Office of Public Works to facilitate access to the sites under its care and management.”

OPW figures show that in 2010, between May 20 and October 21, the Skellig had 12,343 visitors — a rise of almost 2,000 on previous years. This year to date, only 8,536 people have visited the island.