The Real-Life Island Where All Of Luke's Scenes Were Filmed In Star Wars: The Last Jedi

To call "Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi" controversial is a bit of an understatement, even four years after its initial release. The film drew a wide amount of criticism from fans and critics alike, with many complaining about the film's subversive story and failure to live up to what most audiences expected from the franchise. Others praised the film for presenting a new take on "Star Wars" mythology, and breaking away from some of the more cliche elements of the franchise's past. While this is a pretty big split, both fans and haters agreed that the film departed heavily from the "Star Wars" formula that audiences had come to know throughout the years.

Despite the fact that audiences remain so divided over the film, there is one aspect of "Star Wars" that the movie manages to, by all accounts, get perfectly right: bringing its audience to a wide variety of different environments and planets across the galaxy. Whether it be the red-salt deserts of Crait, or the ominous throne room of Supreme Leader Snoke, every location in "The Last Jedi" is jaw-droppingly gorgeous. 

One of the most iconic locations in the film is the porg-inhabited small island on the planet Ahch-To, where Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) trains Rey (Daisy Ridley) at the ruins of an ancient Jedi temple. Ahch-To is almost entirely water, except for a few sparse land masses such as Luke's tiny island. The planet's environment looks so incredibly alien that one might assume that the island itself was simply created using special effects. 

In reality, the island that appears in the film is an actual island off the coast of Ireland.

Skellig Michael, the real-life Skywalker Island, is a small landmass located 12km off the southwestern coast of Ireland. The island gets its name from Saint Michael the Archangel. 

Atop the island is an incredibly well-preserved monastic settlement that dates back to the sixth century. These dome-shaped buildings appear in "The Last Jedi" as the ruins that make up an ancient Jedi temple. It's absolutely incredible to consider the fact that the island itself was not actually constructed for the sole purpose of filming, but it is actually a genuine historical site that one can visit in the real world.

Indeed, the website SkelligIslands.com offers tours of Skellig Michael and its surrounding islands, as well as tours of the ancient monastery at the island's summit. Not only is the island a worthwhile vacation spot for any hardcore "Star Wars" fan — or history buff, for that matter — but the island is also home to plenty of wildlife as well (albeit, no porgs, but plenty of puffins). Along with puffins, the website boasts that visitors can see birds such as gannets and guillemots while on the island. In any case, it certainly is remarkable that a location as powerful and cinematic as Luke's island is actually just a real location that you can go out and visit.