![]() ![]() Barbara Freitag in her book Sheela-na-Gigs argues that the Sheelas must be understood in the context of medieval folk religion. Taking inspiration from female scholars Margaret Murray, Edith Guest, and Marija Gimbutas. Touching them and cradling them in my hands, I felt a sweetness about them. Whereas others have been disgusted, frightened, and repelled by the Sheelas, I felt calm and comforted in their presence. Closer inspection reveals that most of them are bald with large skull-like heads and small sometimes sagging breasts some of them also have prominent rib cages. Sheelas are carved images of women who point to their swollen or enlarged vulvas. This prominent scholarly opinion is repeated in the book Sheela-na-Gigs by Eamonn Kelly published in conjunction with the museum. After having spent twenty minutes discussing a Celtic cross, she devoted about two minutes to the Sheela which she said was a warning against the sin of lust. ![]() ![]() Our Irish guide at Killinaboy seemed embarrassed by the one perched above the doorway of the church. A great deal of controversy surrounds the meaning of the Sheelas and the reasons why they are often found in rural churches. ![]()
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