Celtic Spirituality Pilgrimage, Day 4: Skellig Michael and the Ring of Kerry

St. David's Episcopal Church

Celtic Spirituality Pilgrimage

led by

Ken and Darlene Swanson

Day 4, April 7th: Skellig Michael and the Ring of Kerry

We began our day in Killarney with prayers. To our disappointment, the rough seas and huge swells prevented us from taking a boat to the island of Skellig Michael.

We were however able to visit "The Skellig Heritage Centre", a small museum and video theater that taught us about the island's history.  Skellig Michael is a tiny, nearly barren island jutting out from the Atlantic Ocean eight miles off the southwest coast of Ireland.  

In about the year 600AD, a group of Celtic monks hoping to live only for God, established a monastery on the precipitous island.  Eventually they built beehive huts in which to live, a small church and refectory, and carved over 650 steps from the landing point to the monastery.

The beehive huts.

The monastery ruins.

Some of the 650 steps.

It is astonishing that the buildings put up by these monks over 1400 years ago are still in existence.  UNESCO has named Skellig Michael a World Heritage Site.  Many of our pilgrims are determined to return in the future in the hope of actually going to the island.

A scene from the Skellig Heritage Centre.

 

While at the centre, Ken gave a teaching in its auditorium on the uniqueness of Celtic monasticism.  Celtic Christianity was rooted in the spirituality of the Egyptian desert.  John Cassian, who studied in Egypt with Evagrius Ponticus, returned to Gaul to the monastery at Tours.  Both St. Patrick and St. Ninian trained at that monastery before becoming missionaries to Celtic Ireland and Celtic Britain.  The key leaders in the Celtic Church were not bishops, but abbots and abbesses of the great monastic communities.  Celtic monasticism was marked by the deep friendships between the monastic leaders. There was full gender equality, and abbesses such as Brigid, Samthann, Monica, Ita and Hilda wielded the authority of bishops over both men and women in the areas of their monastic jurisdiction.   Celtic monasticism was permeable, as people could enter and leave communities, move freely from monastery to monastery and perhaps return later in life to where they began their spiritual journey.  In the 6th, 7th, and 8th centuries, Celtic monasteries were the greatest centers of learning in Europe, and thousands came from mainland Europe to study in them.  

We spent much of the day driving the 130 mile "Ring of Kerry" on the southwestern peninsula of Ireland.  Many travel critics consider it to be one of the ten most beautiful drives in the world.  Some of the views were simply spectacular.

On route we encountered an Irishman living the old way, collecting peat for fuel and carrying it in baskets hung from a donkey.  

On a mountain pass we encountered hurricane force winds that nearly blew us over!

We are looking forward to continuing our Celtic spirituality experience tomorrow when we visit the Rock of Cashel, the site of one of St. Patrick's greatest triumphs for the gospel.