Gillick's World: Ireland's Wild Atlantic Way Re-published August 2015 | Page 20

Valentia Island

Valentia Island, off Portmagee, is linked to the mainland by both a bridge and a ferry service. This was the terminus of the
transatlantic telegraph cable from Newfoundland, completed in 1866. There are walking trails leading to lookouts over the
ocean, picturesque narrow roads, the slate quarry used in the construction of the British Houses of Parliament, a trail of dinosaur
footprints, and the cafes and shops of Knightstown. Nearby is Little Skellig Island with its gannet and puffin populations, and
Skellig Michael, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where a 6th century monastery is perched 160 meters above sea level.