Scregg Sheela na Gigs, Roscommon

 Sheela na Gig

at

Scregg, Roscommon

 

The artifacts listed

 lie on private property and prior permission was obtained before entering and photographing them.

So what is a Sheela na Gig?

In layman's terms that I can understand the answer is that nobody seems to definitively know what they are nor what they once represented. 

The excellent Sheela-Na-Gigs, Unravelling an enigma by Barbara Freitag starts off at the premise that they were a simplified form of Folk Sculpture representing Life, Birth and Health.

 

Quite possibly they were at one time "Christianised" over from a previously existing Pagan tradition in an attempt not to discourage early adopters of Christianity although we associate and find them today alongside two particular medieval structures, Castles and Churches.

These beautiful medieval relics are often described as "crude" carvings and while their aesthetics bear little comparison to ornately carved Angels, Weepers, Armorial plaques and assorted Tombstones to name just a few, they are nonetheless far from crude in an historical context.

The carvings are of women in various postures, often unnatural in pose and also often described as "grotesque" as well as the previously mentioned "crude." 

Both words seem a little too harsh.  

It's interesting that those words, "crude" and "grotesque" seem to  regularly appear in writings about the poor Sheela. 

This no doubt indicates the thinking processes that prevailed when the first written records and investigations into the origins of the Sheela na Gig began.

The Sheela na Gig has exposed genitalia and is often depicted using her hands to part her genitals which at times are enlarged and out of proportion to the rest of the body.

Many Sheela na Gig's have either been destroyed in repulsion or disappeared when stolen in recent decades.

 

At Scregg in Roscommon there is the wonderful opportunity of having two Sheela na Gigs to admire in close proximity to one another. They are believed to have come from the ruins of a Tower House, a type of small Irish Castle which once stood nearby.

Located close to the Sheela na Gigs is a beautiful piece of 1700's architecture.

 

It is a house, Scregg House and it is just a delight to see firsthand. 

The neo-classical doorway and unusual windows literally blew me away.

 

It is unoccupied at present and while it has previously had the benefit of some grant aid the addition of another "few bob" could go a long way in aiding its preservation for future generations to come.

A Kelly Familial plaque on one of the entrance pillars to Scregg House displays in Latin wording "Turris Fortis Mihi Deus 1763" alongside pictographic Horses and the trusty medieval Hound. 

The translation to English would read something like "God is a Tower of Strength, 1763."

Keep the wheels turning.

 Scregg Passage Tomb Roscommon

Set amidst the pastoral and wonderfully bucolic rural heartland of Roscommon is a prehistoric Neolithic feature which at first sight can be easily mistaken for a Portal Dolmen.

This feature is Scregg Passage Tomb. It is described as a Megalithic Passage Tomb on the Irish Sites and Monuments Record.

Whether the antiquity at Scregg is in actual fact a Passage Tomb may be open to interpretation.

Upon superficial examination the tomb has several features including its elevation, possible linear structure and partial surrounding mound and Kerbstones which could indicate that it is indeed a Rectilinear  Passage tomb.

The end of what is presumed to be the Passage Tomb stands today atop the mound as several upright orthostats with a Capstone. 

This is the part of the tomb which bears a resemblance and can be mistaken for a Portal Dolmen.

A large sunken area on the periphery of the mound may indicate a partial chamber collapse, a once existing additional Cist or a simple field clearance. It's difficult to interpret.

There is always the possibility that Scregg is the remains of some type of Gallery Grave. 

The widespread Wedge Tomb gallery type grave usually found in great numbers throughout northwest Ireland were probably often covered with earthen mounds and possibly occasionally in other instances a "Cairn" built mound of stone.

 

Both of these types of coverings on Wedge Tombs in Ireland today are missing.

The coverings have been weathered away if earthen or been removed and reused in the case of loose stone.

 

It is therefor possible that many Irish Field Monuments of the late Neolithic and early Bronze age period may have once existed in the landscape laid out in a fashion we are unaccustomed to.

What is conspicuously absent from the Irish megalithic landscape are the various Long and Ovate or Oblate elliptical style Barrows of our nearest neighbor Britain which itself is dotted with a multitude of "Long Barrows".

There is no logical reason that springs to mind as to why Long Barrows would not have existed simultaneously both here in Ireland and in Britain.

 

Indeed circumstance and evidence of the existing prehistoric tradition would suggest that it were otherwise unlikely so where have Ireland's Long Barrows gone? 

As per the old cliché, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

To speculate here today perhaps Scregg was something altogether different from the Passage Tomb it is ascribed as being. Speculation aside it is a beautiful place and a beautiful site to visit.

Probably the most unusual thing about Roscommon is that it's not Galway.

 

What I mean by that is that if you mention Galway it has connotations of sweeping landscapes and flocks of tourists.

 

Stocky Connemara Sheep and a vast rural field network of beautifully flowing and criss-cross Drystone walls. 

Galway is percieved as evocative, world renowned and often visited.

You'll never hear tell of the multitude of people off to visit Roscommon and check out the Fuerty slabs. 

Or of those seeking out the Castlestrange Stone, a beautiful and rare piece of La Tené artistry.

 Of the hordes overflowing out of Roscommon Castle and of the tourists flocking to see the O'Connor Tomb and its Gallowglass Weepers. 

Or the people queueing up to see Nellie's rock, the Rindoon medieval peninsula nor the Clay Pipe museum of Knockcroghery.

This area of Roscommon is to my mind as, and if not more, beautiful, than anywhere in Galway. Perhaps the Roscommon tourist board should use that tag as a catchphrase.

"It's not Galway".

Historic OSI mapping shows the Passage Tomb at Scregg named as Cloghogle Stone.

Oculists, Baronets and Coffin Carts.

 Recent circumstances meant I found myself for a short while at Mount Jerome Cemetery in Dublin.

Because of the circumstances I didn't do my usual wandering around however I immediately noticed the burial place of the father of Playwright and Poet Oscar Wilde, one Sir William Wilde.

 

Often the departed escape this earthly realm and leave us a detailed and exhaustive list of their many works of greatness, altruism and philanthropy. Note to self, perhaps I should do better.

However this can be a good thing as it makes for interesting reading on gravestones and memorial and familial armorial plaques etc.

It would appear William was made a Surgeon Oculist to Queen Victoria (I assume if ever she needed to see an eye Doctor while perambulating around Ireland then William was her man), was a Chevalier of the Royal Swedish Order of the North Star and was also the author of many illustrated works on the history and antiquities of Ireland.

 

He also founded a hospital at some stage when he managed to get a spare moment and wasn't busy being rather brilliant at other things. Am I jealous? You bet.

Anyway, I was shown also to the resting place of Baronet Sir Richard John Griffith, an architect who is best remembered by us non architect types as being responsible for "Griffiths Valuation". Apparently there is a Laois connection there by way of part of his education taking place at Portarlington. Where in Portarlington I have no idea.

Finally on a somewhat morbid tone I noticed a very interesting antiquity outside a nearby building. Not being 100% sure what to call it I will describe it as a Coffin Cart. It immediately brought to mind a Monthy Python "bring out yer dead" moment. I had never seen one of these before so that was a first for me.

Mount Jerome would be a very interesting place to have a wander if you are ever in the area. I think there is a Jewish Cemetery nearby too.

Keep the wheels turning.

DIA Sir Richard John Griffith