Ballaghmore Castle
| Ballaghmore Castle | ||
|---|---|---|
| Alternative name (s): | Caisleán to Bhealaigh Mhóir | |
| Creation time : | 1480 | |
| Castle type : | Niederungsburg | |
| Conservation status: | restored | |
| Standing position : | Irish nobility | |
| Construction: | Quarry stone | |
| Place: | Ballaghmore | |
| Geographical location | 52 ° 57 '29.5 " N , 7 ° 42' 26.7" W | |
| Height: | 112 m ASLTemplate: height / unknown reference | |
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Ballaghmore Castle ( Irish Caisleán an Bhealaigh Mhóir ) is a castle near the village of Ballaghmore in County Laois, Ireland . The clan chief of the Mac Giolla Phádraig (Anglicised FitzPatrick ) had it built in 1480. It got its name from the old road ( An Bealach Mór , "the great way") to Munster , on which it is located.
history
Like many other Irish castles, Ballaghmore Castle was damaged by Oliver Cromwell's troops in 1647 during the retaking of Ireland . A certain Mr Ely bought the ruins in 1836, had them restored and found a pot of gold. Ely was killed by a disgruntled farmer and therefore never lived in the castle. The uninhabited building subsequently served as a granary and fell into disrepair until the current owner bought it in 1990. Ballaghmore Castle is the only castle in Baronate Upper Ossory that is still habitable today.
Sheela-na-gig
A very interesting detail about Ballaghmore Castle is the Sheela-na-Gig which was driven into a corner stone on the front outer wall. It depicts an ugly, half-dead woman with a twisted face and a clearly visible vagina . The emphasis on the female sexual organs in combination with her death-like appearance is associated with the eternal cycle of birth and death. Sheela-na-Gig is said to be a Celtic deity. Sheela-na-gig figures can be found in Ireland and the UK , but only a few of them survived the Victorian 19th century.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b Welcome to Ballaghmore Castle . In: Ballaghmore Castle . Retrieved February 13, 2019.
- ↑ Ballaghmore: Sheela-na-Gig . In: Magalithomania . Retrieved February 13, 2019.