What is recorded here

Halfway through the last century a plasterer climbed the tower and filled the corner with grey paste. He died before dawn, his hands still wet on the scaffolding, and the men carried him down the mountain road without speaking. The figure kept her place above the window, watching the valley turn from green to gold and gold to black. She never blinked, never moved, never once looked away.

Figure located high up on inner face of left hand corner of N facing window of Rattoo round tower (KE009-056001-). Plaster cast of figure in National Museum of Ireland, Dublin. Described by Freitag as a ‘flat figure with big head, pronounced forehead and strangely formed, almost rectangular ears; depression indicating eyes and mouth, but no nose, pointed chin; thin neck. Angular shoulders; no breasts. Arms flexed with left hand on thigh; hands not visible in plaster cast, but extension of arm pointing in direction of pudenda; right arm held at right angle; if original delineates hand it would be on abdomen. Thighs and calves of figure well rounded; both feet pointing outwards’ (Freitag 2004, 139). See attached drawing of sheela-na-gig taken from Toal 1995, Fig. 130. Compiled by Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 06 June 2012

Date likely to the early medieval period (c. 8th–12th century). The Sheela-na-gig is a carved female figure displaying an exaggerated vulva, commonly interpreted as a fertility symbol or apotropaic device, though its exact meaning remains uncertain.

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