Dovecote, Aghadoe, Co. Cork

Co. Cork |

Estate Features

Dovecote, Aghadoe, Co. Cork

At some point in its history, a sheela-na-gig found her way into the wall of a dovecote in County Cork.

A sheela-na-gig is a carved stone figure, typically medieval in origin, depicting a female form in an explicit pose; they appear on churches, castles, and other structures across Ireland and Britain, their precise purpose still debated by scholars. That one was incorporated into a building designed to house pigeons says something about how older carved stones were routinely recycled, repurposed, and quietly absorbed into whatever happened to be under construction nearby.

The dovecote stands to the south-west of Aghadoe House and on or near the site of a castle, situating it within a landscape that has clearly accumulated layers of occupation over centuries. The structure itself is circular, roofless, roughly three and a half metres in internal diameter and standing to about five metres in height, with a single door opening facing east. The interior walls are lined with nesting boxes, which is the defining feature of a dovecote; these structures were maintained by landowners to provide a reliable supply of fresh meat and eggs, particularly through winter months when other food sources were scarce. The sheela-na-gig is recorded as having been formerly incorporated into the wall, the word "formerly" suggesting it is no longer in situ, though the circumstances of its removal are not recorded.

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