Portmagee: Starting Point for Skellig Experiences

Portmagee combines a distinctive harbour village with special trips to the Skellig Islands. The village is one of the main departure points for boat trips to Skellig Michael and also Ireland’s westernmost harbour. When planning your holiday, it is especially useful to know how different the experiences can be: from a guided boat trip around the islands to a full-day trip with time ashore on Skellig Michael.

The Skellig Ring and the landscape around Portmagee

The Skellig Ring runs from Cahersiveen to Waterville via Valentia Island, Portmagee, St Finian’s Bay and Ballinskelligs. The route is about 50 km long; without stops, the drive takes approximately 1 to 1.5 hours. These details give you a concrete timeframe if you include the Ring in your travel plans. Portmagee is one of the places along the route, not merely a name associated with the island trips.

The Kerry Cliffs are nearby, about 3 km from the village. They rise more than 1,000 feet and offer a viewpoint overlooking the Skellig Islands and Puffin Island. If you want to take in the landscape and viewpoints as well as a boat trip, this gives you another specific consideration when choosing where to stay.

Boat trips with different highlights

The Sea Tour by Skellig Michael Tours lasts 2.5 hours. This guided boat trip circles Skellig Michael and Little Skellig; along the way, the sights include sea caves, rock formations and a gannet colony, as well as puffins and seals. Commentary on the history and wildlife is also included. This option is for travellers who want to discover the islands from the boat.

The Landing Tour is different: it is a full-day trip, with a 45-minute crossing each way and around 2.5 hours on Skellig Michael. You can compare these timings directly with the shorter circular trip when planning together. Skellig Michael is also home to the monastery of St Fionán, with surviving beehive-shaped stone huts from the early monastic community. The island thus combines a nature and boating experience with a historic site.

The Audio Visual Harbour Discovery Tour also starts in Portmagee, at the harbour. Its audio contributions cover local history, wildlife and attractions. If you are first interested in the village and its surroundings, you can focus on these topics; travellers whose main interest is the islands can instead focus on the different boat trips.

Harbour history, traditions and local experiences

The Portmagee Domes Whiskey Tasting Tour explores Portmagee’s smuggling history and fishing heritage and ends with a tasting of Portmagee Whiskey. Another experience is Spirit of the Sea, an immersive 360-degree experience aboard a converted seine boat. Both options offer a different focus from a trip to the Skellig Islands and add cultural themes to your holiday.

The Old Year Festival is one of the annual traditions celebrated here; it has taken place every New Year’s Eve since it was first held in 1727. The May the 4th Sci-Fi Festival is also held in Portmagee every year. In summer, the Portmagee Farmers’ Market takes place every Wednesday. These dates and traditions make local culture another factor to consider when deciding when Portmagee might be of interest for your trip.

If you are considering Portmagee as a holiday destination, local departure points, the type of trip and your interest in the landscape, history or local experiences can guide your choice. A holiday apartment in Portmagee is a good search option if you want to make the village itself the focus of your trip. Seasonal visitor pontoons are also available at the harbour: they serve local boats to the Skellig Islands as well as visiting yachts and RIBs from across Ireland, and provide electricity and water, toilets and recycling facilities.

Discover more places

For more destinations, you can also discover Ballynaskreena, Castlemaine, Knight's Town, Fieries, Farranfore, Ballybunion, Fossa and Milltown.

For the main travel overview: County Kerry.