:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/YXQJYCK3NOZXPNBMLV3GG4WCGA.jpg)
The Skellig Michael Unesco world heritage site, 12km off the Kerry coast, will not reopen to visitors on Monday as planned.
The Office of Public Works has confirmed that public access will be deferred by 10 days to Thursday, July 1st.
It had been announced a fortnight ago that the rugged island could reopen on Monday, June 21st. However, a spokesman for the OPW noted on Wednesday that this target was dependent on favourable weather and sea conditions that could enable preparatory and safety works to proceed in a timely manner.
“Unfortunately, due to periods of poor weather conditions hampering the progress of work on site, the reopening of Skellig Michael has now been postponed,” the spokesman said.
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/VRWCRTOENS6LCSOM7ZBZWEI72E.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/LCCVA2I5EUPG6CV63JGQICWWFY.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/M2B4UWUIETHJMYIO2XS4H5JOV4.jpg)
:quality(70)/cloudfront-eu-central-1.images.arcpublishing.com/irishtimes/TEOBDNJT7LPYRJE3WVZCQUS6WQ.jpg)
In May the OPW announced that preparatory works were running several weeks behind schedule due to previous lockdown restrictions.
The body announced in May of 2020 that it was closing the monastic site as a visitor attraction due to concerns over Covid-19.
:quality(70)/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-authors/irishtimes/bfd0fd9f-bd02-484d-9e11-c3154aeedad7.png)