Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Sheela-na-gig (present location)
Kilmore (castlerahan By., Ballyjamesduff Ed), County Cavan, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Kilmore (castlerahan By., Ballyjamesduff Ed)
- County
- Cavan
- Country
- Ireland
- Coordinates
- 53.86696, -7.20091
- SMR number
- CV038-070----
Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.
David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford LibrariesDavid Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries
Shown on 4 historical map sheets, the earliest the 1636 "Vltoniae Orientalis Pars" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
The provenance of this sheela-na-gig is unknown as recorded by the National Museum of Ireland (Cherry 1992, 6). One of two sheela-na-gigs (CV026-052002-) now located in Cavan County Museum in Ballyjamesduff (see also CV038-071----). This sheela-na-gig figure is carved on the left hand side of a rectangular block which appears to be a quoin stone from the medieval church (CV026-052001-) at Lavey. It is described by Freitag as a sheela-na-gig (dims. H 0.47m; Wth 0.58m; T. 0.18m) with ‘figure flatly carved on left hand side of thick slab; upper left corner damaged. Large head set between shoulders; deeply set eyes, thick nose, open mouth showing gappy teeth. No breasts or ribs, but nave clearly incised. Thick arms reaching down in front of body; fingers of both big hands touch raised rim of vulva which is depicted as vertical groove with small, round touch-hole underneath. Short, stumpy legs wide apart, feet with extremely long toes turned outwards. On or under left arm (measuring 11cm in diameter) figure holds round object whose outline is incised on top of arm’ (Freitag 2004, 136-7).
Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien
Date of upload: 24 May 2012
References
Freitag, B. 2004 Sheela-na-gigs: unravelling an enigma. London. Routledge.
Cherry, S. 1992 A guide to sheela na gigs. Dublin. National Museum of Ireland.
Nearby in the register
- Sheela-na-gig (present location)under 1 mi
- Stone sculpture - aniconic (present location)under 1 mi
- Designed landscape - tree-ringunder 1 mi
- Market-houseunder 1 mi
Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.