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A sheela-na-gig was removed from a gate post at Drinan House (DU012-024001-) in the 1940's and placed in the National Museum, Dublin (DU018-305-) (Dunlea 1945, 114; Cherry 1992, 6). The original location of this sheela-na-gig has not been identified (Freitag 2004, 142). The gate post at Drinan House was not the original location for this sheela-na-gig. The finding of this carving was recorded in 1945 by Father John Dunlea, P. P. when he stated that, ‘some time ago I noticed one of those grotesque female figures known as Sheela-na-Gigs carved on a pillar which acted as a gate-post at Drynam House (DU012-024001-) near Swords, Co Dublin. It was in danger of destruction by farm-carts passing by, so I brought it to the notice of Mr. H. G. Leask, Inspector of National Monuments. He communicated with the National Museum and, on Mr. Wilson of Drynam House graciously giving permission, the stone was carefully removed and is now preserved in the Museum’ (Dunlea 1945, 114). There is no information about the original location for this sheela-na-gig, therefore this entry has been reclassified as a redundant record. See DU018-305- for more details.
Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien
Date of upload/revision: 29 May 2012
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