Star Wars 7 filming on Skelligs

Judgement Day

I really couldn't quite believe this story when I heard it but it's true. Sure who cares as long as it brings in the tourists to clamber all over the place and a few quid to the local B+Bs, pubs and boat men. Birdwatch Ireland have come out against it but apparently those who know better - the National Parks & Wildlife Service are happy to go along with it.

Apart from the undesirabilty of having the birds disturbed during the breeding season and the possible damage to the delicate environment out there, I can't think of a more dangerous place to shoot movie scenes.

http://www.radiokerry.ie/news/wildlife-group-says-star-wars-filming-on-skellig-michael-shouldnt-happen-at-this-time/

syklops

I agree. Garth Brooks should not be allowed play on Skellig Michael.

syklops

Jokes aside. I thought the Irish Times article was a little bit more balanced.

The Irish Times, Sat, Jul 26, 2014, wrote:

As Skellig Michael braces itself for an encounter with Star Wars film crews, life and death continues on the Unesco world heritage site off the Kerry coast. Birdwatch Ireland has said that a baby rabbit’s terrifying encounter with a herring gull, as captured by photographer Michael Kelly, is “ a natural enough” event.

Birdwatch Ireland’s senior conservation officer for seabirds, Stephen Newton, said the rabbit population on Dublin’s Dalkey Island was controlled by predatory gulls, and the same could be said for any coastal location. Black-backed gulls were particularly voracious, and he had witnessed one such gull swallowing a mallard duck whole.

Ornithologists say there is no such species as a “seagull”, but gulls have been in the public consciousness since Fianna Fáil Senator Ned O’Sullivan told the Seanad in mid-July that the birds were attacking children and taking lollipops.

“Rogue gulls tend to be after food, not people,” Mr Newton said.

Skellig Michael’s extensive bird population, including puffins, Manx shearwaters, guillemots and petrels, is in the middle of a breeding season, and there is serious concern among ornithologists about the impact of the proposed filming on the island’s wildlife.
Approval
It is understood that an environmental impact assessment to support approval by the National Parks and Wildlife Service was only sought several weeks ago. Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Heather Humphreys has responsibility for both the NPWS and the Irish Film Board – a potential conflict of interest, according to environmental sources.

Irish Film Board chief executive James Hickey said “all requisite consents including the NPWS approval are in place with the production company for a limited amount of film-related work on the island”.

The board said the filming programme “has been designed specifically to avoid disturbance of breeding birds” and the NPWS “has approved the proposal on that basis”.



First published: Sat, Jul 26, 2014, 01:04

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I don't think the Irish Times addressed the issue at all. They just brushed past it as an aside, so they could print the gull pictures that accompanied the piece.

Personally I would have concerns about the filming on such a site. I would be interested to know the extent of the filming involved eg aerial shots, ground shots, duration etc?

Judgement Day

I have to say that I thought the gull and bunny pics in pretty poor taste. Tabloid stuff and typical of the 'paper of record' these days.

Capercaille

No surprise. The previous Minister handled the turf-cutting issue disgracefully. The new Minister following the same path. Srameen had very valid points, there could be much disturbance and this project could have a serious impact to breeding birds.

Mickeroo

Are tourists still let out there at the end of August?

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Mickeroo wrote: »

Are tourists still let out there at the end of August?

Limited access, with a guide only, mid May until the end of September.

axe2grind

Terrible precedent to set, gutless decision and I'm gobsmacked at how the priorities are so wrong. :mad:

What clueless clowns signed this to go ahead?

whyulittle

And now the Navy are patrolling a 2 mile exclusion zone around it. :eek:

Birdnuts

whyulittle wrote: »

And now the Navy are patrolling a 2 mile exclusion zone around it. :eek:

I was living full time in Erris when they were guarding Shells destructive actions in Broadhaven bay SAC. Great to know we can trust Spanish factory boats etc. to do the right thing while our Navy is busy doing more important things!!:rolleyes::mad:

robp

Judgement Day wrote: »

I really couldn't quite believe this story when I heard it but it's true. Sure who cares as long as it brings in the tourists to clamber all over the place and a few quid to the local B+Bs, pubs and boat men. Birdwatch Ireland have come out against it but apparently those who know better - the National Parks & Wildlife Service are happy to go along with it.

Apart from the undesirabilty of having the birds disturbed during the breeding season and the possible damage to the delicate environment out there, I can't think of a more dangerous place to shoot movie scenes.

http://www.radiokerry.ie/news/wildlife-group-says-star-wars-filming-on-skellig-michael-shouldnt-happen-at-this-time/

I will admit that I am no expert on the sensitivity of breeding birds there but I don't see how a small amount of filming would be more harmful then the usual tourists.

W1ll1s

Seems like the Helicopter activity flying in the "stars" might freak out the birds (feathered)

V_Moth

whyulittle wrote: »

And now the Navy are patrolling a 2 mile exclusion zone around it. :eek:

FFS. I think anybody heading out to Skellig M in the next year should ask for the same "exclusion zone" :rolleyes:

robp wrote: »

I will admit that I am no expert on the sensitivity of breeding birds there but I don't see how a small amount of filming would be more harmful then the usual tourists.

The problem is nobody knows what effect visitors to the island are having on the birds as the studies that should be carried out are not being done by the Department.

Ultimately, the filming being carried out should lead to the question whether the Department/Minister can be trusted to ensure that whatever activity is carried in Protected Areas is done responsibly and with no or absolutely minimal impact. In my opinion, they can't.

Red Nissan

V_Moth wrote: »

The problem is nobody knows what effect visitors to the island are having on the birds as the studies that should be carried out are not being done by the Department.

I don't think this is a valid argument as the island was inhabited by active monks who actively hunted and eat the birds and eat their eggs in the early breeding season and travelled up and down daily on fishing or gardening expeditions.

And in the nearer past the island was inhabited by lighthouse men and their families and in more recent times a helicopter service to the islands are a regular event too.

Visitors are limited to 150 per day apparently and seemingly is fairly well enforced.

It's not like boatloads of boot boys are day tripping and smashing the place up ~ there is as much evidence that the OPW are the biggest vandals the island has ever [The Vikings aside] seen and they may have impacted negatively in recent rebuilding works than all the hoards of tourists in recent years combined.

Red Nissan

Isn't the filming schedule just two days?

V_Moth

Red Nissan wrote: »

I don't think this is a valid argument as the island was inhabited by active monks who actively hunted and eat the birds and eat their eggs in the early breeding season and travelled up and down daily on fishing or gardening expeditions.

And in the nearer past the island was inhabited by lighthouse men and their families and in more recent times a helicopter service to the islands are a regular event too.

Visitors are limited to 150 per day apparently and seemingly is fairly well enforced.

It's not like boatloads of boot boys are day tripping and smashing the place up ~ there is as much evidence that the OPW are the biggest vandals the island has ever [The Vikings aside] seen and they may have impacted negatively in recent rebuilding works than all the hoards of tourists in recent years combined.

Red Nissan wrote: »

Isn't the filming schedule just two days?

The three days filming finished today as far as I know.

Again, there should not be a problem filming on the island as long as the proper procedures are followed to ensure that whatever was done does not interfere with the island being listed as a World Heritage Site (one of only three in Ireland) or as an internationally important breeding site for seabirds (esp Manx Shearwater & Storm Petrel).

Skellig Michael may hold as much as 10% of the world population of the latter and the filming is taking/took place at the point when the chicks are starting to leave the nest. Disturbance may put them at risk of predation by gulls.

Red Nissan

V_Moth wrote: »

Skellig Michael may hold as much as 10% of the world population of the latter and the filming is taking/took place at the point when the chicks are starting to leave the nest. Disturbance may put them at risk of predation by gulls.

Impressive.

I did think one was asked to wait until August in these circumstances?

Tourists video last month July 2014 suggests the colonies were pretty advanced already.

Capercaille

Red Nissan wrote: »

Impressive.

I did think one was asked to wait until August in these circumstances?

Tourists video last month July 2014 suggests the colonies were pretty advanced already.

Storm petrels only land at night, are you sure tourists got videos of them?

Red Nissan

Capercaille wrote: »

Storm petrels only land at night, are you sure tourists got videos of them?

All daylight vids, young Gannets, Gulls and Puffins as big as the adults flying and hopping around.

Capercaille

Red Nissan wrote: »

All daylight vids, young Gannets, Gulls and Puffins as big as the adults flying and hopping around.

I would be more worried about the Storm Petrels. They breed in large colonies in Ireland (around 10 colonies). Up to 25% Of the European population breeds in Ireland. The (European) Storm petrel as it's name suggest breeds mostly in Europe. The filming (which would be a large operation) could significantly threaten the storm petrels, especially as now is the time when the fledglings will be leaving their nests. The storm petrel is probably the most important Seabird aside from Roseate tern breeding in Ireland, since we have a large percentage of the World's breeding birds. This project which is ill-timed represent a threat to an entire species.

Capercaille

STAR WARS WAGES WAR ON IRELAND’S SEABIRDS

Nowhere in Ireland compares to the two Skellig Islands that lie about 9km off the coast of County Kerry. Little Skellig is pebble-dashed white with breeding Gannets. Skellig Michael is larger and j...uts out almost vertically from the North Atlantic like a colossal shard of rock flung by King Kong. The movie analogy is fairly apt because the makers of Star Wars Episode VII eyed the place and – being American and awash with funds and bolshiness – decided to commandeer the place for filming. But hold on a minute. Skellig Michael is one of Ireland’s only two UNESCO World Heritage Sites, the other being Newgrange.

Despite its remoteness and inhospitable conditions – such as lack of soil and flat ground – monks inhabited Skellig Michael for hundreds of years. Some time in the twelfth century the monks moved away and left a legacy of hand-built stone beehive cells, oratories, a church and graveyard. The stone craftsmanship is enchanting and is right up there among the ranks of Machu Pichu and Egypt’s pyramids. As if that is not reason enough to visit – visitors get a few hours to explore part of the island – there are Puffins in many places, all completely tame, thanks to no persecution.

Puffins nest in burrows but, come nightfall, so too do large numbers of Manx Shearwaters and Storm Petrels. And, easily visible from serpentine lower pathways, ledges contain Guillemots, Razorbills and Kittiwakes. In other words, even without the wondrous monastic remains, Skellig Michael is heaven for seabirds. So who in their right mind would want to spend days buzzing helicopters through the melee of seabirds or encamping on top of burrows in friable soil containing eggs, chicks and incubating adults?

Here is an excerpt from Kerrybirding [ http://kerrybirding.blogspot.co.uk/ ] posted on Tuesday 5 August by Michael O’Clery (a son of Connor O’Clery, former master journalist with The Irish Times): ‘Despite objections from National Parks and Wildlife Service and BirdWatch Ireland, permission was given for three days filming … on one of the largest and most important seabird colonies in Western Europe … two helicopters persistently circling the island at close range must have caused chaos amongst the seabirds, and some accounts are emerging of seabird chicks being blown off ledges by helicopter activity.’

Well, that was just the tip of the iceberg. I have been to the Skelligs several times and spent a week there trying to ‘re-house’ Storm Petrel broods that were excavated in the course of ‘Health&Safety’ repairs to stonework. More about that shortly. I have contacts among those who know about the events of July 1014. Paraphrased, this is what they told me: ‘BirdWatchIreland would not take Star Wars' 30 pieces of silver (that is, cash) to come on board as ‘consultants’ to the madness. For this, they were not allowed access to Skellig Michael to monitor events. The Irish Navy patrolled the waters around Skellig Michael, turning them into a no-go area, even to RTE reporters, and an Irish Air Corp helicopter made trial runs on the Skellig helipad to test it for transporting cargo, at one point flying through clouds of Puffins. While attempting to land, the rotor downwash cleaned off a ledge of Guillemot chicks. This was only a recce: two helicopters did the same thing for long periods during the three-day shoot. Tons of equipment were brought on to the island … they were stored on one of the few vaguely horizontal bits [of ground] in large marquees, but this was right on top of easily-collapsed Manx Shearwater burrows. Meanwhile, on the mainland, heavy-handed security attempted to stop James Pembroke from filming a blog [also featured in http://kerrybirding.blogspot.co.uk/] and most B&B owners and boatmen locals were bought off and told to keep shtum, lubricated by the handover of 1000 euro.’ For corroboration, see http://www.independent.ie/entertainment/movies/and-action-new-star-wars-film-shoot-kicks-off-on-skellig-michael-30466106.html.

Actually, the makers of Star Wars are not the real guilty party in all of this cavalier disrespect of Skellig Michael. The island’s protected status is under the guardianship of the Irish Government. Given what was allowed to happen, that protection is, like most forms of bird species protection nowadays, mere tokenism. The relevant department is the Office of Public Works (OPW). The same department undertakes, each summer on Skellig Michael, a self-justified programme of works during which many square metres of old stonework are either taken down and rebuilt (allegedly because the original artifice had become dangerous or liable to collapse) or sealed against the elements by concrete pointing. The men who perform the handiwork are locals and, having worked with them, they are everything that you would expect of men from the ‘kingdom’ of Kerry: skilled, helpful and great company. But why is the work carried out in the breeding season? The men hate unearthing – as happens frequently – eggs and young of Storm Petrels. Moreover, they prefer not to think that their pointing work is entombing adults and young. Never mind the impact of the inadvertent killing (or, arguably, deliberate destruction) of Storm Petrels on Skellig Michael, the visual effect of the work on the old stonework is horrific: Ireland’s – and the world’s – heritage is being defaced by Irish taxpayer money. Putting aside the officially instigated disfiguring of stonework, the seabird slaughter could easily be avoided by avoiding work during the breeding season.

The same principle ought to have applied to the Star Wars filming. Should any of you watch the film whenever it is released, do not become excited at the prospect of seeing Skellig Michael in all its glory. For one thing, there will be no seabirds: the Irish Government saw to that. Can I be more specific? True to their archaeological protection responsibilities, the OPW objected to the Star Wars operation. Several senior archaeologists supported OPW. Alas, the catalogue of protest from both within and outside government was vetoed. By who? None other than Jimmy Deenihan TD, the then minister for Heritage, Arts and the Gaeltacht. To add insult to injury – to say nothing of potential illegality – Mr Deenihan is from Co. Kerry. Among his other ‘triumphs’ in 2014 was the publication of a draft ‘Landscape Strategy for Ireland 2014-2024.’ Here is its first objective: ‘To recognize landscapes in law.’ As far as I am aware no one has yet claimed the Guinness Book of Records title for the world’s biggest hypocrite. Hi Jimmy – go for it!

Photograph details: Storm Petrel with chick inside a nesting cavity whose entrance was scheduled to be filled in before the chick fledged.

https://www.facebook.com/anthonymcgeehan?fref=ts

Judgement Day

Absolutely disgusting and not in the least surprising. :mad:

axe2grind

Even if the above was only partly true, and actually I don't have reason to disbelieve it, this is the basis of my outrage earlier in the thread.

W1ll1s

Typical,is it any wonder we are in the mess we are in...................