Sheela-na-gig in Aghagower

Built into the modern mortared stone wall, which encloses a holy well (MA088-063005-) named 'Dawach Patrick' on the 1929 OS 6-inch map. The well is located a few meters to NW of a graveyard (MA088-063002-) which encloses a medieval church (MA088-063001-) and a round tower (MA088-063003-) associated with the early medieval monastery of Aghagower. A stone slab (L 0.42m; H 0.16m) on one face of which is a carving of a naked female figure (H 0.15m; Wth 0.1m). The figure was carved in false relief by cutting away a square background area (0.15m by 0.15m) in the centre of the slab. The roughly circular head (H 0.006m; Wth 0.005m) is disproportionately large, with the eyes, nose and mouth simply outlined. The breasts are faintly outlined on the torso. The elbows are bent with the arms curving inwards and the hands reaching into an indentation which represents the genitalia. The legs are broadly splayed, with the knees slightly bent. Described by Freitag (2004, 122) as a 'small framed figure faces the road and is difficult to make out. Large round head, no breasts, arms akimbo, vulva a small slit, legs widely splayed'. The sheela-na-gig was found in Aghagower but its original location is unknown. It was placed in its current location in the early 2000's. See attached screenshots 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/6qPBD Compiled by: Jane O'Shaughnessy Date of revised upload: 6 April 2016

Probably medieval in origin, the Sheela-na-gig figure is commonly associated with fertility symbolism and may have had ritual or protective functions, possibly linked to the holy well and graveyard nearby. Such figures often appear in contexts of Christian and pre-Christian spiritual overlap.