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Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland

Sheela-na-gig

Merlinpark, County Galway, Ireland

Ordnance Survey six-inch map, 2nd edition (1888–1915) covering the location of Sheela-na-gig, Merlinpark, County Galway, 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
Merlinpark
County
Galway
Country
Ireland
First-edition OS map
Not indicated
Latest-edition OS map
Not indicated
Coordinates
53.27983, -8.99805
SMR number
GA094-023001-

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 1753 map "Mappa geographica Regni Hiberniae" (David Rumsey Map Collection, Stanford Libraries).

Historical maps covering this location

  • 1753 · Mappa geographica Regni Hiberniae (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

Discovered in 2002 by Martin Fitzpatrick (Freitag 2004, 138), this sheela-na-gig figure is carved onto the spandrel of singe-light ogee-headed window on the second floor of the S wall of Merlin Castle (GA094-023----). Described by Freitag (ibid.) as an ‘unusual figure because sitting upside down, below decorative motif; in opposite corner there is a six-petal marigold. Round head with facial features discernible; breasts indicated; both arms straight and in front of body, hands joined to touch long vertical slit indicating vulva’.

See attached screenshot of 3D model of Sheela-na-gig created by Digital Heritage Age. 3D model can be accessed on the Sketchfab website at: https://skfb.ly/68uyw

Compiled by: Caimin O’Brien

Date of upload: 29 May 2012

References

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

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 in Galway All County Galway records All Ireland Heritage registers Historical markers (US)National Register of Historic Places (US)
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