Tourists vomiting in boats and visitors “panting” as they climbed the steep stairs on Skellig Michael were among the reasons put forward for closing one of the country’s most famous tourist attractions this year.
In May, the Office of Public Works announced that Skellig Michael – which featured prominently in the latest Star Wars trilogy – would be shut down to visitors for the summer.
Internal emails reveal concerns over a lack of washing or toilet facilities and what would happen if first aid was needed for anybody who became ill or fell.
Officials also said attempting to keep people two metres apart would be impossible on the winding steps leading up to the monastic site.
One email said: “How do people stay two metres apart if they meet? People panting, breathing heavily as they pass each other etc. Also we have to consider risks if they have to administer first aid etc.”
The boat trip to the island was also considered a serious problem with people “needing physical contact/assistance to get on/off”.
On board, there would also be issues with people “being unsteady on feet and maybe bumping into each other, getting sick”.
An official wrote: “These are issues that the boatmen would primarily have to solve, but we have to be conscious of the issue here when we’re risk assessing the whole proposition.”
An update circulated to senior officials in OPW and the Department of Culture said the decision had been difficult with the “loss of an iconic tourism draw like Skellig Michael … very bad news”.
An internal email said that there would be a particular difficulty for staff and how they would “engage with each other and face a constantly-changing group of people in close proximity every day”.
The Office of Public Works had divided all of its attractions around the country into three categories – can reopen, reopen partially or with “significant constraints”, and “cannot open”.
An internal email said: “Obviously, the primary concern in any decision to reopen a heritage site is the health and safety of visitors, staff and boat crews in how they visit and occupy the site, including how they would access and exit the island.”
One senior official wrote “If I’m honest, it’s a challenge in these circumstances to see that a reopening [of Skellig Michael] is feasible”.
The OPW were also worried about how they would get staff out to the island to check on the status of the world heritage site.
In late April, one boat had been out around the Skelligs and said it looked like the “winter weather [had] not left any visible damage or rock falls”.
In response, an official said they were hoping to send two workers out for a closer inspection “when the handcuffs are off a bit”.
Frank Shalvey of the National Monuments section of the OPW wrote: “Obviously also, works is one thing, but opening to visitors is another matter entirely.”
