Located on the southwest coast of Ireland in the municipal district of West Cork,[3] the town is dominated by Mount Gabriel (407 m).

The area, on the peninsula leading to Mizen Head, is a tourist destination, and there are numerous holiday homes along the adjoining coast.

[6][7][8] However, others question this derivation, and Gary Dempsey's thesis ("Whispered in the Landscape/Written on the Street, A Study of Placename Policy and Conflict in Ireland from 1946 to 2010") suggests that the "Scoil Mhuire" form dates to 1893 when the parish priest of Schull at the time, Very Rev.

[citation needed] Evidence of ancient settlement in the area includes a number of ringfort, rock art and fulacht fiadh sites in the townlands of Skull, Caherlusky, Cooradarrigan and Gubbeen.

The now ruined church that stands in the graveyard in Schull was first referenced, alongside the town, in a letter to the Bishop of Cork from Pope Innocent III in 1199.

[14] By the late 19th century, businesses in Schull (including banks, pubs and an inn) served the surrounding area.

[4][26] The book Silver River (2007)[27][28] by Daisy Goodwin includes a section on the efforts of her 3x great-grandfather, the Rector of Skull, to help the populace during the Great Famine.

Taking place over a weekend, usually in early August, markets stalls are typically set-up around Schull Harbour Pier.

The weekend is centered around the rowing and sailing races, but also has food and shop stalls, carnival games, bouncy castles, music events and other activities.