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Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland

Sheela-na-gig (present location)

Kilmore (Castlerahan By., Ballyjamesduff ED), County Cavan, Ireland

Ordnance Survey six-inch map, 2nd edition (1888–1915) covering the location of Sheela-na-gig (present location), Kilmore, County Cavan, with a pin at the register's coordinates
Ordnance Survey six-inch map, 2nd edition (1888–1915), covering this location. Courtesy of the National Library of Scotland. The pin is ours, placed from the register's coordinates.

The record

Townland
Kilmore (Castlerahan By., Ballyjamesduff ED)
County
Cavan
Country
Ireland
Coordinates
53.86696, -7.20091
SMR number
CV038-071----

Slide toward Today to fade the historical sheet and see the modern map underneath.

David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

4 historical maps cover this location, the earliest the 1636 map "Vltoniae Orientalis Pars" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).

Historical maps covering this location

  • 1636 · Vltoniae Orientalis Pars (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1790 · Composite: Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1869 · Ireland. (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)
  • 1891 · Ireland 16 (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries)

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This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗

The National Monuments Service's description

Found at the site of Lavey church (CV026-052001-). Described by Guest (1936,109) as having arms flexed in front of splayed thighs and hands directed towards the lower abdomen. Now located in the Cavan County Museum (CV038-071----). According to Guest the sheela-na-gig was 'found about 1842 by Dr. Chas. Halpin laid loosely on a gate pier built "recently" at the entrance of the old church-yard. The finder believed it to come from the old church, of which scarcely a trace was then left' (Guest 1936, 109).
This sheela-na-gig has been moved from the NMI to the County Museum in Ballyjamesduff, Cavan where it is on display. One of two sheela-na-gigs (CV038-070----) on display at the County Museum in Ballyjamesduff. Described by Freitag as a sheela-na-gig (dims. H 0.43m; Wth 0.23m) with ‘right side damaged from top to bottom giving the impression that figure was cut off vertically. Big head; ovoid eyes with pupils; fleshy nose with clearly cut nostrils; open mouth with protruding tongue and beading round lips, possibly representing teeth. Two or three bands round forehead, and hair seems to be indicated’(Freitag 2004, 127-8).

The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Cavan' (Dublin: Stationery Office, 1995). In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research.

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload/revision: 24 May 2012

References

Freitag, B. 2004 Sheela-na-gigs: unravelling an enigma. London. Routledge.

Guest, E.M. 1936 Irish sheela na gigs in 1935. Journal of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland 66, 107-29.

Nearby in the register

Other entries of the same register within about three miles of this one, by straight line.

Sites and Monuments Record data: National Monuments Service, Government of Ireland, licensed under CC BY 4.0. Record text is reproduced unchanged. National Monuments Service, Government of Ireland · CC BY 4.0
All Sheela-na-gig (present location) in Cavan All County Cavan records All Ireland Heritage registers Historical markers (US)National Register of Historic Places (US)
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