High winds temporarily put paid to Star Wars filming on Skellig Michael
IRELAND’S notoriously fickle weather yesterday managed to do what the country’s heritage agency failed to do: stop filming on Skellig Michael.
An Taisce had objected to the return of Disney Lucasfilm to the Unesco World Heritage Site island for filming of Star Wars: Episode VIII.
But their objections to filming were overruled and filming was due to go ahead yesterday.
However, high winds around Portmagee and Ballinskelligs led to filming being cancelled.
The seas were so rough, local sailors who service the island decided it was not safe to carry cast or crew out there.
The site off the coast of Co. Kerry was opened for a second time to allow production back for several days this month on condition that filming be brought to a halt if the onsite ecologist raised concerns.
Despite criticism from An Taisce, the Government sanctioned the crew’s return to the monastic site but gave a conservation officer the final say on movie-making.
Arts Minister Heather Humphreys said welcoming back the Star Wars movie crew for another instalment in the trilogy was a victory. ‘Skellig Michael is one of our most dramatic and beautiful islands and it is very easy to understand why its stunning scenery has caught the attention of the makers of one of the world’s biggest film franchises,’ she said.
However, An Taisce said it was only informed about the decision via email last week.
Charles Stanley-Smith said at the time: ‘We are appalled by how the minister and the department have conducted this matter.’
He added: ‘The public interest in the protection of a unique and vulnerable environment and the role of the courts on such matters is being compromised, in our view, to facilitate the film.’
BirdWatch Ireland also said it had serious concerns about filming.
But the Irish Film Board welcomed the news.
A spokesman said: ‘International productions locating in Ireland bring together major international creative talent working with Irish personnel, providing creative interaction and stimulating job creation throughout the country.’