Video & Pics: Skellig Michael the real star in Kerry Star Wars advance screening

It appears in the last three minutes, there’s not a word spoken but none are needed. Skellig Michael speaks for itself.

The appearance of the island in Star Wars: The Force Awakens drew a spontaneous round of applause from the audience at the Killarney Cineplex, where the movie was given one of its first viewings in The Kingdom. The preview was a special thank you from the filmmakers to the people of Co Kerry for the use of their island and for hosting the shoot.

And the film captures the rock in all its splendour, giving magnificent views of The Wailing Woman, Christ’s Saddle, and the monastery, as well as detailing the 100 stone steps built by monks on the hostile terrain that lies in splendid isolation more than 11km from the mainland in the Atlantic.