Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Sheela-na-gig
Newtown (kiltenanlea Ed), County Clare, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Newtown (kiltenanlea Ed)
- County
- Clare
- Country
- Ireland
- SMR number
- CL053-043002-
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
This stone is set into the parapet of a bridge across the Limerick to Killaloe Navigation Canal at Cloonlara. The figure is said to have come from Newtown Castle (CL053-043001-) and to have been defaced by the land-owner about three generations ago (local information) (Guest 1936, 117-18). It is described by Freitag (2004, 129) as a figure ‘carved on a rectangular slab; the figure was given a patent reveal surrounding it when it was inserted in the new parapet. There are signs of deliberate hammering below the waist. Thus the legs and genital area are only barely traceable. It has a bony head with a grim face; the arms flexed and both hands are indicating or touching the vulva. The legs are splayed’. (Andersen 1977, 147, No. 71)
Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien/Michael Moore
References
Guest, E.M. 1936 Irish sheela na gigs in 1935. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 66, 107-29.
Andersen, J. 1977 The Witch on the wall: medieval erotic sculpture in the British Isles. London. Allen and Unwin Ltd.
Freitag, B. 2004 Sheela-na-gigs: unravelling an enigma. London. Routledge.