Discover Ireland has released a video with the aim of attracting Star Wars fans who hope to visit Skellig Michael, which features in an iconic scene in Star Wars: The Force Awakens.
The video features J.J. Abrams emphasizing his desire to have locations as authentic and realistic as possible in the film, Skellig Michael being perfect for this process. The presence of James Hickey, Chief Executive of the Irish Film Board and Heather Humphreys, Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, is surely a testament to the cooperation and approval the Star Wars team enjoyed in their time on the Skellig.
This is not the first time the island has been used for cinema; Werner Herzog’s Heart of Glass used the location for its final scene in 1976. However, this was before the area received the status of World Heritage Site in 1996, an action which has led to concerns over too much activity occurring on the island.
However, thus far, The Office of Public Works and the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, have not seen any significant damage caused by filming.
