The Kerryman (South Kerry Edition)
Skelligs feel the force in latest Star Wars smash hit
SKELLIG Michael may have made its Hollywood bow in 2015’s ‘Star Wars: The Force Awakens’ but it was only with this year’s ‘Last Jedi’ that the world famous landmark truly became a film-star in its own right.
The stunning island and its famed monastery had only a fleeting cameo in the final minutes of The Force Awakens but in the Last Jedi it plays a major role, providing the backdrop for a major portion of the science fiction blockbuster.
The movie – the ninth entry in the wildly popular franchise – has proven a smash hit with critics and audiences praising it as one of the best entries in the series.
Though it hasn’t proven quite as financially successful as the The Force Awakens – which as the first Star Wars film in 10 years garnered phenomenal levels of anticipation – The Last Jedi is still an enormous hit.
Within in a week the film raked in over $500 million worldwide and it is comfortably placed to become one of the most successful movies ever released.
Skellig Michael – which provides the setting for the remote island home of Star Wars hero Luke Skywalker, now a hermit living in self imposed exile – looks absolutely stunning in the movie.
So too do the scenes shot at Ceann Síbeal in west Kerry – which doubled as the UNESCO world heritage site – where a replica of the Skellig Monastery was constructed for the film’s two week shoot back in May 2016.
Last Jedi director Rian Johnson and his cinematographer Steve Yedlin pulled out all the stops while shooting in Kerry and the county’s scenery looks breathtaking on the big screen.
Many critics have cited the stunning panoramic views of Kerry as a major highlight of the film and the movie is already being described as one of the best adverts for Irish and Kerry tourism ever seen.
Understandably, Failte Ireland and Tourism Ireland have not let the opportunity pass them by with both agencies mounting global promotional campaigns to capitalise on the Last Jedi’s success.
Businesses and communities in south and west Kerry – particularly in and around Ceann Sibéal, Dingle and Portmagee – are also doing their best to capitalise on the county’s new found cinematic fame.
South Kerry experienced a notable ‘Star Wars bounce’ following the Skelligs’ Force Awakens appearance but the positive effect of that film on local tourism is expected to be dwarfed by the boost from The Last Jedi.
Portmagee has been quick to get on board the lucrative Star Wars gravy-train with the enterprising local community rebranding their idyllic seaside home as ‘Porgmagee’ – after the tiny puffin-like creatures the inhabit Skellig Michael in the movie – for the week of the film’s release.
Given how the plot of The Last Jedi plays out, it seems unlikely that the Kingdom will feature in Star Wars Episode IX but, even so, the force is set to be very strong with Kerry tourism for a long time to come.