Sites and Monuments Record · Ireland
Sheela-na-gig
Cooltymurraghy (clonmacnowen By.), County Galway, Ireland
The record
- Townland
- Cooltymurraghy (clonmacnowen By.)
- County
- Galway
- Country
- Ireland
- First-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- Latest-edition OS map
- Not indicated
- SMR number
- GA099-203001-
This record in the National Monuments Service's Historic Environment Viewer ↗
The National Monuments Service's description
This sheela-na-gig was previously incorporated into a 19th-century farm building that collapsed in the in the late 1980s. The very well-preserved female figure, carved in raised relief on a rectangular block, displays a large head with prominent eyes, nose and mouth. Only the left ear is depicted. Arms curve around the torso and behind the splayed legs exhibiting the genital area. Small breasts are visible beneath the armpits. Rare features including braided hair extending from the head and running down each side of the block, teeth, fingers and toes are also depicted. The bottom of the block is arched suggesting that it may have formed the keystone of a doorway. A 3D digital record of the figure, using photogrammetry and laser scanning, has been undertaken as part of the Sheela3D project (Dempsey and Cunniffe 2018, 32 (2), 14).
Compiled by: Olive Alcock
Date of upload: 13 June 2018
References
Dempsey, G. and Cunniffe, C. 2018 When Christy met Sheela. Archaeology Ireland 32 (2), 14.