Report: Star Wars Episode VII Filming On Irish Island

The Irish Independent is reporting that Star Wars is coming to town.

"Scenes from the much-anticipated new Star Wars movie will be filmed on Skellig Michael," according to the Independent. "The world heritage site off the coast of Kerry has been revealed as the location for some of the scenes of the new movie."

Skellig Michael is the larger of two Skellig Islands in the Atlantic Ocean. It is uninhabited, although tours are operated in the summer. No visitors will be permitted on the island for three days in late August while filming takes place.

The Independent received confirmation from the Irish Office of Public Works that "the iconic Kerry site has been made available for a film production shoot on the island and the production is fully supported by the Department of Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht."

UPDATE: The Irish Examiner follows up by saying that the island will be used for "three days of shooting next week, beginning on Monday." The Irish Independent reports that the production has paid a compensation fee of €1,000 to each of the operators of daily boat tours to the island, due to their not being able to conduct tours on those days.

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