OPW champions Darth Vader

Many years ago on one of my early visits to the holy island of Sceilg Mhichíl there was much talk at the time of the work being done on the high pinnacle above the island’s saddle.

A tiny forgotten hermitage was being archaeologically explored. In a soaring recess that would daunt an eagle, one monk — there was room for no more — once ate and slept and prayed. A little rock shelf up there facing seaward is where the monk sat and meditated. Folklore has it that if any demons came winging in they would come from the vast empty seas to the west. This monk was the first spiritual gate-keeper, not alone of the island, but the mainland. Indeed he kept vigil for all of Christian Europe. Together with later generations of his fellow ascetics the vigil was maintained for 600 years.

Sadly it must now be reported that the demons have arrived from across the seas. They met no resistance, instead being fully accommodated by those assigned as current guardians of the holy island. The OPW, protectors of what remains of our magnificent heritage, have chosen to close off the island for three days with the assistance of the Irish Film Board, the Irish Navy, the Irish minister (likely) and no doubt the Irish tourist board. All this so that Luke Skywalker and fellow cronies from billionaire George Lucas’ Star Wars franchise can turn the sacred space, a Unesco World Heritage Site, into a back-lot for an American movie.

The OPW, who typically refuse natives admission to the island unless they have arrived in one of the vessels on their prescribed list and who vehemently refuse permission to attach a few safety ropes in highly dangerous stretches of the island, because, they say, it might affect the integrity of the island have no hesitation in having helicopters, volumes of people, lights, cameras and other paraphernalia all over the place in the middle of the nesting season!

Would the French allow in on Mont Saint Michel, would the English allow in on St. Michaels, Cornwall, I wonder? As for any visitors who have travelled distances to Iveragh at this time to see the monastery and the remains of the rich ascetic tradition of Saint Fionán, normal services will resume shortly. Sorry for the inconvenience folks, Hollywood wanted to keep everything under wraps until the last minute.

If you haven’t been on Sceilg Mhichíl yet get to this wonderful site soon. If you have an appreciation of the sacrifice and magnificence of generations of men who lived on a cathedral of rock jutting out of the sea without soil or water, see it now.

Once the film with Skellig included is released, there will be no more visitors to the sacred island seeking to walk in the steps of noble Fionán or to sit in contemplation of life’s mysteries. No. Instead we will have the film-site baggers, the devotees of the selfie, the texters, the Twitterers and Facebookers, the experts on all-things intergalactic.

Saint Fionán is dead, long live Darth Vader!

OPW, take a bow as the final credits roll over the remnants of a vast tradition. May the Force zap you out of South Kerry for good!

Michael Houlihan

Lower Bridge Street

Killorglin

Co Kerry