Skellig Michael: The Fabrication of History

A short film about unauthorised reconstruction on one of Ireland's only World Heritage Sites - the spectacular Skellig Michael. The Office of Public Works (OPW) has undertaken destructive rebuilding techniques, and thereby jeopardised Skellig Michael's inclusion in the World Heritage List.
*UPDATE* 9 July 2008 A UNESCO report on State management of the world heritage site at Skellig Michael off the Kerry coast has found that conservation works have "dramatically altered" the appearance of surviving remains on its South Peak.
http://tara-foundation.org/blog/?p=102#more-102

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• Skellig
• Michael
• Kerry
• Ireland
• OPW
• World
• Heritage
• Site
• Endangered
• Destruction
• Irish
• Government
• Tara
• Foundation
• EU

[irishgeal1]

lmao, it look like a fas scheme of works gone badly wrong, as for that land grabbing unesco, they are the scum of the earth, get ireland out of that vile group, before long they will have the irish people not allowed to visit there very own heritage sites. a good video but its got mixed messages in it.

[tarafoundation]

@irishgeal1 Can you elaborate on the 'mixed messages'?

[tarafoundation]

We appreciate your comment. More films to come, watch this space!

[longlakeshore]

For a few tourist dollars? It's like trying to rebuild the ruins of Athens, Rome or your own Irish abbeys. Leave it to the wind and the sea and the birds. And time.

[AnonMomAnon]

WHAT is going on in Ireland these days? is success going to ruin the ould sod?

EARTH TO TOURISM IN IRELAND: every single person that i know that has had the honor of traveling to ireland EMBRACES what Ireland really is---NOT some painted up, fake land! YOU CAN NEVER UNDO THESE THINGS, IRELAND. the road through the tara valley? skellig micheal? do not let these places live only in the hearts of the Irish.

[Morvarid06]

UNESCO itself is responsible for destruction and preservation of historical sites. The So called "they" created the system to hide behind behind it. Information about our true history is becoming more and more obvious, and they are destroying the past to hide their own conspiracies.

I have only one word for those who want to know the truth about who is behind it all and has been for the past 4000 years...Druz.

The Druz of Europe and the middle east are one! They hide behind many faces.

[malachy1847]

@TomokoMurakami Yes.... Petrol Disc Cutters that's no way to carry out conservation work...you cannot replace something than you have no knowledge of ... a bit like putting new limbs on the Venus de Milo statue... All this done in the name of protecting our Heritage give us a break....

[KrackowKid]

My advice to anyone who has not been there is to try and get there before it gets closed of to the public. The visiting season is been reduced from 7 to 5 months. There's two law suits gone in from the families of two Americans that fell and died on the island. Insurance is gonna cost a fortune for the OPW if they are found liable. It may be the case that people in the future will only be allowed to visit the island but will not be allowed to ascend the steps to the beehive huts on top.

[sb81282]

There was a reference today on the news about two tourists who fell to their death on Sceilig Mhichíl and just out of interest I had a quick search on the net about it. I thought straight away that there would have needed to be someone on the island carrying out restoration works, but more in line with how the monks would have originally carried out restorations, I guess keeping with the artisanal tradition of the pratice, but to see this is a disgrace.

[acerb45666555]

only Time Team can save this place! when they find out whats goin on, 500 archaeologist's will surround the place and chase away the destructive OPW crew!

[jsmcguireIII]

Where is the pride? The OPW needs some serious oversight when "working" on these precious resources. Perhaps the removal of Skellig Michael from the WHS registry would do the trick. I was saddened to read about the botched restoration of Newgrange. I always felt the walls there were too vertical to be authentic, and now it seems its true. We should do better in 2009.

[lynlin133]

I have been to your blessed only once , but I have had the priviledge of studying Irsih History for many years, to the piont of taking an online class through the University of Galway. I pray I can return, don't, don't let any thing happen to your history, it is a blessed beautiful, you are not the mongrels us Americans are!! Stand up and Restore!

[TomokoMurakami]

What absolute fools to do this. Eejits.