Skellig deaths - Safety move welcomed

TWO tourists have died on Skellig Michael in the last five months.

The latest casualty, Christine Danielson Spooner, from New York, tripped and fell to her death.

Skellig Michael is a Unesco World Heritage Site and about 600 stone steps, which do not have safety rails, lead to the summit where there are monastic remains dating from the 7th century. It is a rugged and beautiful place and it is probably impossible to make it completely safe for visitors without destroying the very character that makes it such an attraction.