She is a sheela-na-gig, one of the carved female figures found across Ireland and Britain on churches, castles, and tower houses, typically depicted exposing an exaggerated vulva. The figures have been interpreted variously as fertility symbols, apotropaic carvings intended to ward off evil, or survivals of a pre-Christian iconography absorbed into medieval building traditions. What makes the Tullovin example particularly striking is its orientation: rather than the upright posture seen in most surviving examples, this figure is carved horizontally onto the quoin stone, the dressed corner block that locks the angle of the tower's masonry.

The carving was recorded as early as 1936 by Guest, and later examined by McMahon and Roberts in 2001 before receiving a detailed description from Freitag in 2004. Freitag's account is precise and worth dwelling on. The figure wears some form of head-dress and has what are described as arresting facial features. Her torso is long, showing small breasts, visible ribs, and a navel. Her left arm is raised to her head, while her right arm, described as very long and contorted, passes beneath her thigh so that at least two fingers touch the vulva. Her legs are widely splayed, and the big toes are turned outward. The carving is executed in high relief on the corner stone, which would have made it visible from ground level despite its elevated position on the tower. The tower house itself is a separate recorded monument.

The tower house sits in Tullovin, in County Limerick, and anyone hoping to see the sheela-na-gig should be prepared for the challenge common to many such carvings: elevation and weathering can make the detail difficult to read from below. Binoculars are useful for picking out the finer elements that Freitag's description captures so carefully, particularly the facial features and the positioning of the arms. Tower houses are on private land as a rule, so checking access beforehand is sensible. Overcast light, which reduces glare on pale limestone surfaces, often brings carved relief into sharper contrast than direct sun.