Sheela-na-gig

The National Monuments Service's description

Two grotesque female figures were to be seen in 1918 in the farmyard wall of the entrance gate to the SSW of Tinnakill Castle (LA008-001001-). Present owner of the castle and farmyard stated in 1990 that they were broken up by person or persons unknown and buried. One was said to have come from a window jamb of Tinnakill Castle (LA008-001001-) the other from somewhere in Portnahinch (Anon. 1920, 262-3). H. Roe has taken photos of them and these photos can be seen in Laois Co. Library. The second sheela (LA004-004002-) that came from Portnahinch may have been taken from the Church at Portnahinch (LA004-004-).
Two sheela-na-gigs (LA004-004002-; LA008-001002-) were built into the coping of the gate entrance wall. One was part of the jamb of a window of the 16th century Castle, the other came from Portnahinch. Moved from this site to a house in the Dangans (Mrs. Fennelly) where they suffered a misfortune with a truck. Both it and the Portnahinch figure were broken as a result and were later used as building material. Nothing to be seen now. (http://www.irelands-sheelanagigs.org/archive/index-42071.php.html accessed 23 May 2012). Freitag recorded that the sheela-na-gig was rescued from the castle ruins (LA008-001001-) and re-erected in garden wall of private house together with the Sheela from Tinnakill (LA008-001002-). Due to an accident both figures were knocked down and later re-used as building material (according to Mrs Fennelly, owner of house). All attempts to find missing figures have failed’ (Freitag 2004, 145).

Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien

Date of upload/revision: 23 May 2012

References

Anon. 1920 The Annual Excursion of 1918. Journal of the Kildare Archaeological Society, Vol. IX, 262-3.