Kerry’s Skellig Michael has been closed to visitors due to a rockfall, the Office of Public Works (OPW) has confirmed.
No one was injured, but the UNESCO world heritage site will remain closed “until further notice”, the OPW says.
A full examination of the site and clearance of the debris is due to take place this week.
It is the third significant rockfall in recent years. In 2015, a large boulder broke free from a slope and landed in the middle of Lighthouse road, used by visitors, while rocks and debris also fell from the upper slopes in 2017.
The visitor season for the 6th-century monastic site 12 km off the Kerry coast had opened on May 15th this year and is due to run until the end of September.
Skellig Michael was closed throughout the 2020 season due to the Covid-19 pandemic and had a later visitor opening last year.
It is expected that a detailed examination will assess if there is any imminent danger of further landslides or rockfalls which could threaten the safety of visitors and staff on the island.