May The 4th Be With You!

As many Star Wars fans know, May 4th celebrates all things Star Wars. So we want to acknowledge this special day by looking at the history and the appearance of the Skellig Islands in the Star Wars universe. The Skellig Islands consist of two Islands, Skellig Michael and Little Skellig. Little Skellig is closed to the public and is a protected colony for the seabirds which nest there.

These magical landscapes in Co. Kerry, Ireland, was given global attention throughout the filming of the star wars movie franchise for its majestic beauty. The pointed, jagged islands and their iconic triangular shape make them stand out – both on and off-screen! Shooting for Episode VII – The Force Awakens took place on Skellig Michael in September 2014, and the cast and crew returned to film once more in September 2015 for Episode VIII – The Last Jedi.

History of Skellig Michael

The Skellig Islands date back to 600AD. Skellig Michael (Sceilg Mhichil), the larger island, was home to one of Ireland’s first monastic settlements. The monks of St. Fionan’s monastery led simple lives and lived in stone, beehive-shaped huts. Every morning the Monks living on the island would walk up 670 very steep steps. They caught their own food for breakfast and spent their days praying and studying. The stone-made beehive huts they lived in are round on the outside and rectangular on the inside. These huts were carefully built so that no drop of rain ever entered between the stones.

The monks left the island in the 13th century, and it became a place of pilgrimage. There is a fantastic wealth of birdlife on and around the Skelligs, especially puffins in late spring and gannets on the Small Skellig.

The Exclusive Skellig Pendant

An Exquisite Piece

To show our love for this majestic island at Moriarty’s, we designed and had this stunning piece crafted in 14k Irish gold exclusively for Moriarty’s.

It represents a pinnacle of craftsmanship, a rare piece crafted to represent the iconic peaks of the Skelligs and the island’s unique silhouette.

Irish Gold

Our Irish gold is sourced from the House of Lor, who extract gold from mines in Co Tyrone, without the use of harmful chemicals. It is not mixed or diluted with gold from any other source, guaranteeing its uniquely Irish provenance. Only 2-5% of the ore at this source is suitable for processing in this environmentally friendly manner, making this gold an extremely rare commodity.