Fears that birds are in ‘Star Wars’ firing line
Unesco has designated the Kerry island as a world heritage site and it is questioning who gave the green light for the filming — which entered its second day yesterday — amid a seabird colony of around 10,000 pairs of storm petrels and large numbers of puffins and other birds.
Birdwatch Ireland is also unhappy about having the shoot during the birds’ breeding season and it is concerned about possible damage to chicks and eggs in underground nests.
The Office of Public Works, the authority responsible for Skellig, yesterday declined to answer specific queries from the Irish Examiner about who authorised the shoot and the cost of maintaining a 3km exclusion zone around Skellig during the three days of filming.
A spokesperson said the OPW is providing onsite support through its staff, who are present on the island throughout the summer, as normal.
“They will be continuing to manage visitors throughout and will, obviously, continue to safeguard the national monument and the island, which is a world heritage site. This production is being fully supported by the Department of Arts Heritage and the Gaeltacht and the Irish Film Board,’’ the OPW added.
Later, the Irish Film Board, which helps international film producers locate in Ireland, said consent was granted for a limited shoot on Skellig Michael afterextensive scientific analysis by the National Parks and Wildlife Service.
“The filming programme has been designed specifically to avoid the disturbance of breeding birds on the island. The NPWS approved the proposal on that basis,” said an NPWS spokeswoman.
The film agency said experts are on the island during the shoot and have the authority to intervene if they suspect any impact on the habitat and wildlife. The production company also has a senior ecological advisor on set at all times,” the spokeswoman added.
“Activity is confined to visitor areas and pathways.”
Unesco confirmed it had asked for information on the granting of the go-ahead for filming at Skellig Michael, which has monastic ruins dating from the sixth century.
Spokesman Roni Amelan said lightsabers and droids — brightly lit energy weapons and robotic machines used in the Star Wars universe — may cause damage, but that did not automatically mean a loss of Skellig Michael’s status.
“The issue is not with filming, it’s with what effect that filming will have. We can speculate, but don’t know yet,’’ said Mr Amelan.
Meanwhile, the fishing village of Portmagee, from which the cast and crew depart on the 12km trip for Skellig in boats each morning, continues to attract celeb-spotters. Up to now, however, the only big-name actor in the area is Mark Hamill, who plays Luke Skywalker.
Day two of filming started early, with boats carrying crew and equipment leaving Portmagee pier at 6am. Dull and drizzly conditions gave way to brighter and windier weather.
A helicopter, believed to be carrying Hamill and director JJ Abrams, took off at 7.45am from Con O’Shea’s farm, on nearby Valentia Island, where the production company has a base. Security remained tight at locations used by the company and was intensified around the O’Shea farm.
The filming is creating a mini-bonanza in Portmagee and large numbers of tourists can be seen around the village, while some crew socialise in local pubs.
However, many locals are oblivious to the arrival of Hollywood and were yesterday making hay and silage and drawing home trailers of turf, just as they have always done.
Planning permission has been granted for a “small observatory” to look into the galaxy from South Kerry — Ireland’s first ‘dark-sky reserve’, and co-incidentally the current setting for a scene for Star Wars.
The small domed structure will sit on Geokaun Mountain on Valentia Island — and by the looks of drawings lodged with Kerry County Council, is not unlike the Star Wars character R2-D2.
Like the robot, it will have a rotating dome, and sliding shutter panels to allow star gazers skywalk the night sky over Skellig Michael — the location of the film shoot.
Measuring just 2.7m from ground to sky, it will be on a viewing point at Feaghmaan West near the Fogher Cliffs on the lands of Bernie and Muiris O’Donoghue. The observatory is also in the centre of the International Dark Sky Reserve of South Kerry, running from the MacGillycuddy reeks near Cahirciveen to the Skelligs and south to Waterville.
It was given gold-tier status because of its pristine skies and is one of only three areas in the world with such status.
An Taisce, the only body to make an observation, stressed the dome must “blend in” and will have to be “neutral” in terms of colour.
An appeal is thought unlikely.
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