White Island,
Co. Fermanagh |
|
White
Island is a small island that lies near the eastern shore of Lower
Lough Erne in County Fermanagh.
On the island
are the remains of a 12th century church with a restored Romanesque
south doorway. Mounted in a line on the north wall are eight striking
statues, six of which are finely carved and highly stylised in
appearance. Despite the suggestion of pagan influences, the curious
figures are early Christian, probably carved sometime between
the 9th and 11th centuries, although their significance
is unknown. It is possible that they supported a pulpit or preaching
chair of an earlier timber church.
The first
figure is a grinning Sheila-na-Gig, a crude depiction of a female,
with emphasis on the genitalia. She could have been a fertility
symbol, a Celtic war goddess, or a warning to monks of the sins
of the flesh. The second figure is similar to the seated Christ
in the Book of Kells, the third hooded figure holding a bell and
crosier is a bishop, the fourth is possibly David, the fifth and
sixth have been identified as Christ - one holding the necks of
two griffins, and one as a warrior with sword and shield. The
seventh figure is unfinished, while the last one is a face with
a downturned mouth. A ferry runs to White Island from the marina
in the Castle Archdale Country Park, ten miles northwest of Enniskillen.
| |  |
| Comments on this article... |
| Nobody has posted a comment on this article yet. Why not be the first? |
|
|
New users or existing users to add a comment. |
Northern
Ireland travel related links:
Compare
prices between hotels in Northern Ireland
Compare prices between Holiday Inn, Lastminute.com, Octopus Travel, Opodo, Superbreak.com
and many more top hotel websites in one search
Compare
prices between youth hostels in Northern Ireland
Compare prices between youth
hostels in many popular parts of Northern Ireland including Belfast, Armagh,
Bangor, Derry, Portrush, Fermanagh and Omagh
Compare
prices for car hire in Northern Ireland
Compare prices between Avis, Europcar, eBookers.com, Economy Car Hire, Sixt
and many more top car hire websites in one search
Compare
prices for flights to and from Northern Ireland
Compare prices between British Airways, BMIbaby.com, Opodo, Lastminute.com,
Air Scotland and many more flight operators in one search
Other
featured places to go in our County
Fermanagh travel section:
Boa
Island tourist information
Devenish Island tourist
information
Enniskillen tourist information
Lough
Erne tourist information
White
Island tourist information
Other
Northern Ireland travel related links:
Northern
Ireland hotel
Northern Ireland tour
Northern
Ireland cottage
Northern
Ireland hostel
