Madam, - Preparing for one of my regular visits to Ireland, I looked forward to a journey to Skellig Michael once more. When the weather has allowed, it has been my custom to climb to the island's second summit - an altogether separate place from the main monastery, and one where access is difficult - to view one of the gems of Western tradition: the humble, but substantial, ruins of a hermit's tiny chapel, perched high above the Atlantic.
How saddened I was to round a corner of rock steps to find that this further side of the island, isolated from view, is now the site of building works. Climbing higher on the rock-face just over two weeks ago, I found, in addition to substantial scaffolding, that drilling had taken place at very many places along the terracing, and that entire sections of new stone walling had been erected. In addition, a rope had been stretched across from these heights, and over to the monastery - perhaps for the ferrying of more heavy equipment to these delicate and tiny terraces. It certainly seemed to be as if massive works were being undertaken upon this peak, hundreds of feet above the sea, where once a solitary pondered and prayed.
I wonder what the rationale is behind this heavy hand. It would be tragic if this major disruption were to continue to the site of the tiny chapel - a site so precious and unique to our traditions, and so very important, just by its existence, in global terms. However, it would appear, from the scale of the operation that I have witnessed, that some such intrusion might well be planned. How can this be justified? Surely the most delicate of care is required of any work here, and surely no work is to be undertaken unless an imminent risk to the site itself exists. Although this structure is in ruins, these ruins are intact, stable - and original.
I cannot help but wonder: is the fact that these works have been undertaken in the public domain? Is there not a strict regime which must be followed in these enterprises? Have their potential effects, even upon the environment of these tiny terraces, been evaluated independently? Has the World Heritage Council even been consulted? How has the decision been taken to so proceed?
I am afraid we are at risk of having something precious in global terms altered irrevocably. Has there been any public debate about this? - Yours, etc,
MICHAEL O'SULLIVAN, Baltimore, Maryland, USA.