Hi and welcome!
Thank you for visiting Skellig, a reflective place.
The philosopher Alasdair MacIntyre has made the point that reality is best observed from the margins. True to this spirit, in 2018 a group of friends and colleagues came together to create a 'reflective space' – offshore from the clamorous noise of contemporary political and social discourse.
Its purpose is to enable individuals to engage in reasoned discussion on the issues shaping politics, culture, and religion. We like to listen. We seek to be informed by the professional and personal insights and the life experience of our members and invited guests. Our foundational members are comprised of academics and individuals across a range of disciplines from the world of public policy, communications, healthcare, and the law.
Skellig takes its named from the austere Christian monastic community ‘Skellig Michael’, located off the coast of Kerry. It is where Christianity survived during the bleak times of Europe’s so-called ‘dark age’. Skellig is illuminated by the virtues of friendship, a commitment to reason and a love of wisdom.
Sometimes we need to step away from the turbulent mainstream to engage more meaningfully in reflective and constructive dialogue with others. That is what Skellig is about – small, informal, and mindful of the centrality of normative values in our lives and in the governance of nations.