Sheela-na-gig in Portnahinch

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