Skellig Michael has had to close to the public until further notice due to extremely dangerous conditions, according to the Irish Examiner.
The Office of Public Works issued the ban after discovering that the main visitor access to the monastery had suffered "significant and extensive" damage by rockfalls.
The rockfalls had left the island in a hazardous and unstable state requiring emergency repair work to be carried out. The official season for visiting the Skellig Islands starts on the 14 May with the number of visitors being restricted in order to protect the islands vulnerable ecosystem.
The Office of Public Works plans on completing the repair work before the 14th of May but there are concerns that the main route will be subject to further rockfalls following heavy rain. Future damage to the island is a concern for Fáilte Ireland who believe the filming of Star Wars on the Island will attract hundreds of thousands extra tourists to Ireland.
