Tipperary Sheela-na-gigs, found and lost.

Links to recent sheela-na-gig posts:

"figurative carvings of naked women displaying an exaggerated vulva”
The Fantstown Tower
Ballyvourney Sheela-na-gig

County Tipperary has more sheela-na-gig—twenty-seven—than any other county. 

I left Cork thinking I would see the three sheela-na-gig in Cashel, a place I've never been. But one of them is in a hotel that is now closed, one of them remains on a high wall but is hard to see, and one of them isn't a sheela-na-gig but a Cat Goddess.

So I headed for the medieval town of Fethard which has two sheela-na-gig. A few miles away in Kiltinane (Kil-TIE-nan) are two more. 

I drove all the way through Fethard until I came to the ruins of the Augustinian church. That's a likely place for a sheela. These days the sheela-na-gig looks out from her wall observing a shrine to Our Lady of Fatima. 

The sheela-na-gig is in the wall on the left.
Behind the Fatima shrine is the ruin of the 12th C church and the restored church next to it.

Around the corner from that church is the other Fethard sheela-na-gig, who looks out at this river, bridge, and ford.



Jack Roberts says: 

This has to be one of the most startling sheela-na-gigs and can be found on a section of the old 14th century town wall overlooking the medieval bridge over the Clashawley River at the entrance to the medieval walled town of Fethard. Although the figure is strategically located facing the old entry into the town, she blends in with the rest of the wall and is only really visible from quite close up. Certainly this is one of the few examples that could truly be described as ugly or frightening with her emaciated look, very noticeable incised ribs, striated chevron pattern on the left cheek and her neck and a large growth on her right ear. Grimly set teeth and large, rimmed staring eyes with pupils add to her hideous appearance. ...

My poor picture. You can find better ones. 

Across the road on a section of the restored wall, we find this modern fertility symbol. Or maybe it is a symbol of something else. 

There is a park between the river and the wall and I met a few other people walking their dogs. The water gate sheela is found at the far end of this wall. 

This old house still has the narrow glass windows created for tax purposes. 

I had lunch at Emily's delicatessen who will make you a fried egg sandwich and a cup of coffee for €5. 

 I enjoyed both while contemplating the story behind this picture.

Since I was so close, I drove a few miles to Kiltinane. These two sheela-na-gig are no longer available to visit. One is on a private estate, and the other one was stolen in 1990. 

Jack Roberts says:

This curious figure that appears as if dancing or doing a jig was originally erected as a quoin stone on the southwest corner of the church. It is one of the figures from which the name entered into common useage after it was described by O'Donovan in the mid 1800s. It was removed from the church by persons unknown on the 9th of January 1990. The crime has never been solved and this most important sheela-na-gig has never been located. 

The sheela-na-gig was once on the corner of the church now covered in ivy. 

Once I read that, I remembered that I had heard an RTE program about this theft. The program is a good one, and I would recommend it except that it is so wrenchingly sad. 

The robbery was part of a wider spate of thefts, looting or so-called ‘treasure hunting’ that was gone on around the country for many years. Gangs (and it was often organised gangs, but not regular criminals) had little to fear. Rummaging around on national historical sites in the dead of night in these out of the way places didn’t attract much official attention. In any case, if they were caught, treasure hunters faced very small fines and the ownership of what they found was at best disputed, it could be used in evidence but not necessarily seized by the authorities. 

Listen to "Stealing a Sheela-na-Gig." 

The other Kiltinan sheela-na-gig is on the wall of a well-house at this estate, which is now a horse farm and owned by Andrew Lloyd Webber. 

I do not take for granted that these treasures of Ireland will always be available to random people like me running around the countryside with my books, maps, and GPS phone. Treasures as mysterious, wonderful, and lewd as sheela-na-gig would never last in the States, but would be stolen and purchased by the same monsters who buy looted Native American artifacts. 

Few minutes after I took the photo of the Kiltinane church, the sun disappeared and it started to snow. 

I'm safe home how, next to our Donegal fire, looking forward to spring. 

Home again.