This part of the story didn’t quite go my way. About a week earlier, I received an email from the Skellig Isle boat tour company saying they had to cancel the landing tour. The Office of Public Works (OPW), who manage Ireland’s conservation efforts, hadn’t issued any landing permits due to an ongoing legal dispute. The issue stemmed from the OPW denying permits to some tour companies last season, and the excluded operators sued. So, no landing on Skellig Michael for me—which sucked!
That said, I was still able to take the boat tour around the island, so not all was lost. It turned out to be a brilliant day. There were ten of us on the boat. We set off, spotted some dolphins, and circled Skellig Michael. Absolutely breathtaking. Sheer rock faces shooting up from the sea, lush green grass clinging to the upper slopes. We glimpsed the ancient stone steps, the old lighthouse, and the tips of the beehive-shaped huts once used by monks. I decided then and there that if the dispute was resolved while I was still travelling, I’d come back and do the landing tour.
This island was a filming location for Star Wars: The Last Jedi. Many scenes featuring Mark Hamill and other cast members were shot here. Apparently, during production, the whole town had to sign non-disclosure agreements with Disney. Crazy.
We sailed past Little Skellig, home to over 40,000 nesting gannets. The island was practically alive with them, swirling above the craggy rocks, which were—unsurprisingly—completely covered in bird droppings. Still, it was a spectacular sight.
After returning to the marina, I decided to take a drive to round out the day. I headed south over the hills, winding through small villages, until I came across a lookout. From there, I spotted a cool circular fort down below and went to check it out. It turned out to be a well-preserved old walled homestead. Inside, you could make out the ruins of two stone houses, with impressively thick walls.
Back in Portmagee, I made a quick stop at the Kerry Cliffs lookout. Heights aren’t my favourite, but I pushed through—these cliffs rise hundreds of metres from sea level. While there, I offered to take a photo for a fellow solo traveller. We got chatting and realised we were both heading to Dingle the next day. We made plans to catch up for a drink after I finished my Blasket Islands tour.
I wrapped up the evening with dinner at The Moorings pub and walked home during sunset. I absolutely loved Portmagee—definitely a place I’d consider staying longer.
The next morning, I left early to reach Dingle in time for my second boat tour. This craft was much more powerful than the last—we rocketed out of the harbour and cruised past the ancient Dingle cliffs, where parts of the rock reveal a time when Ireland lay below the equator. A long time ago, indeed.
We saw more dolphins and even some seals sunbathing on the beach of the Great Blasket Island. To reach the shore, we had to hop in a dinghy from the main boat. I had 3 hours and 30 minutes on the island before pick-up.
One of the tour guides, Chris, didn’t recommend hiking to the far end of the island—said I wouldn’t make it back in time. Naturally, I took that as a challenge. Once on land, I made a beeline up the slopes and hit the walking trail. I reached the suggested halfway mark in just 30 minutes—plenty of time. So I pressed on.
The trail to the far end involved two peaks that had me huffing, but I made it with time to spare. What a view. I noticed the trail didn’t actually go all the way to the end—about three-quarters of the way, really. The final stretch was overrun by wild sheep. I later learned they’d gone a bit feral, and shepherds were in the process of rounding them up to relocate them.
After a few happy snaps, I legged it back to the landing area, where I explored some ruins from past inhabitants. Apparently, in the 1400s, a greedy baron hiked up taxes to fund his mansions, prompting the locals to flee and settle on the island. Fascinating bit of history attached to such a remote place.
With 30 minutes to spare, I took a few photos of the seals and hopped back on the tour boat. We then explored nearby islands, and the standout was Cathedral Rock—a gothic-looking formation that looked like something out of a fantasy novel. Amazing.
Also—puffins! Finally saw some. The boat couldn’t get too close, but I managed to catch a decent glimpse as they swooped overhead.
On the return to Dingle, we encountered a huge school of dolphins—at least 30. They came right up to the boat. Incredible.
Once back in town, I checked into my first hostel of the journey. It was a cosy spot, pretty tidy by hostel standards. After settling in, I went to the Dingle Pub for dinner. Some locals were playing live music—great atmosphere. I took a quick walk to sample more of Dingle’s pub scene, then met up with Lauren (from the cliffs) for a few drinks. She’s a teacher from North Carolina using a 3 week break to travel Ireland. A very similar experience to me. After a good chat, it was closing time and I headed back to the hostel.
Dingle was definitely busier than Portmagee, with more tourists around, but it still had a cool, laid-back vibe. A fantastic couple of days.
Tomorrow: Galway!
