Skellig Sunset
by Cheri Randolph
Title
Skellig Sunset
Artist
Cheri Randolph
Medium
Photograph
Description
A view toward the setting sun across the Atlantic horizon from County Kerry, Ireland. Showing the Skellig Michael towers where Catholic monks built a monastery sometime between 950 and 1044 to escape persecution. The rugged rocks rise from sea level 714 feet.
Skellig Michael was uninhabited prior to the foundation of its monastery. The monastery's exact date of foundation is not known. The first definite reference to monastic activity on the island is a record of the death of "Suibhini of Skelig" dating from the 8th century, however Saint Fionán is claimed to have founded the monastery in the 6th century.
The site had been dedicated to Saint Michael by at least 1044 (when the death of "Aedh of Scelic-Mhichí" is recorded), however, this dedication may have occurred as early as 950, around which time a new church was added to the monastery (typically done to celebrate a consecration) which was called Saint Michael's Church.
The monastery remained continuously occupied until the 12th or 13th century. During this time, the climate around Skellig Michael became colder and more prone to storms, and this, along with changes to the structure of the Irish Church, prompted the community to abandon the island and move to the abbey in Ballinskelligs
Uploaded
August 22nd, 2012
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Viewed 248 Times - Last Visitor from New York, NY on 04/17/2024 at 3:31 AM
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Comments (13)
Jack Zulli
An exception capture, the rays radiating across and through the clouds, very nice work;) v
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