ATTACK OF THE STONES
Safety alert on Star Wars hotspot Skellig
ONE hundred metres of crash deck have been installed on Skellig Michael amid “significant concern” over rock falls.
The UNESCO world heritage site – a tourist hotspot since featuring in Star Wars – had to be shut temporarily in June after a boulder half a metre wide tumbled onto a walkway.
Reports from the Office of Public Works warned rock falls were an “ongoing problem” and it would never be possible to remove all risk.
An inspection report completed in the summer said: “This fact is obviously significant in health and safety terms.
“The requirement that the mitigation to deal with it must be as comprehensive as possible and should be put in place immediately.” A detailed assessment of the area recommended an additional sweep by OPW staff to find loose stone. The report said any additional “threatening rocks” must be removed. It suggested the extension of an existing crash deck by around 100 metres to beyond the area that was considered most vulnerable for sliding rocks. The report added: “The structure of this crash deck can mimic the existing structure but with some additional runners at roof level to provide support.”
It explained previous rock falls had more typically occurred during the winter season when there were few visitors and said it reflected the “extreme exposure” of the site to the elements in those months.
The report said it was a “matter of significant concern that this rock fall occurred during the working season, and especially so on the access route from the pier”.
A spokeswoman for the OPW said the island remains “vulnerable to the elements” and visitors should adhere to safety advice from guide staff.
The island rose to prominence after featuring as Luke Skywalker’s sanctuary in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi in the latest Star Wars trilogy.