Out Of This World

Explore the stunning landscapes and legends of Southwest Ireland. 

- Donna Tabbert Long

A CRITICAL SCENE FROM Star Wars: The Force Awakens takes viewers to a mystical and magnificent mountaintop far, far away that rises from a sparkling, dark blue sea.

It turns out the location wasn’t in a beautiful remote galaxy. It was on Skellig Michael, an island approximately eight miles off the coast of Southwest Ireland in County Kerry. In a video release by the Irish Film Board, the film’s director, J. J. Abrams, stated he wanted a place that was authentic and looked “out of this world.”

County Kerry, along with County Cork, makes up this part of Ireland long renowned for its authentic, other-worldly, scenery-rich terrain. Cliffs and crashing waves, lakes and craggy mountains intersperse with picturesque villages, ancient stone forts and old castles dotting the bright green countryside. Road signs feature Irish Gaelic names. The pace is slower in this rural region, and people are friendly. Whether you’re with a significant other or the entire family, it’s a stunning and memorable region of Ireland to explore for a few days after a business trip.