Island Life | Part I | Boa Island

Originally posted online on 24 July 2014 at rmchapple.blogspot.com

(http://rmchapple.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/island-life-part-i-boa-island.html)
Part II | Part III >

A little while back, I mentioned our family excursions to Fermanagh in the summer of
2013 and that I hoped to find a little time to put together a few lines about what we did
and where we went and (just maybe) why you should consider going for yourself!

Somewhere along the way, I had decided that the trips should have a common theme
and we settled on the idea of islands. The first spot on our itinerary was Boa Island.
The Island lies near the northern shore of Lough Erne and is connected by road bridges
(A47) to the mainland so no need to hire a boat or get your feet wet! If youve got
even a passing acquaintance with Irish heritage, youre likely to be familiar with the
famous Janus-figure of Boa Island. Its known around the world as a one of the
masterpieces of Irish and European art. You might expect that something so important
is highly protected and that it forms the focus of a thriving local heritage industry along
with a suitably tasteful visitor centre selling T-shirts and expensive coffees. You
couldnt be more wrong! This magnificent stone stands quiet and still in the disused
graveyard of Caldaragh. There are no signs alerting the passing tourist to its presence
other than a single one at the head of the road saying Caldaragh Cemetery. The Boa
Island figure was discovered in this graveyard, but the smaller figure preserved beside
it was discovered in 1939 on the nearby Lustymore Island and is, appropriately
enough, known as the Lustymore Idol. Although frequently described as a Janus
figure the larger figure is more likely to be a representation of a Celtic god rather than
a Roman one. The Wikipedia article on the site is well worth a read, and gives a great
introduction to the site, the figures, and their background, so Ill not try to better it
here.

Just enjoy the photos of this beautiful site and consider coming to Fermanagh to see it
for yourself!

Lustymore (left) and Boa Island (right) figureskeeping watch in Caldaragh

cemetery
The Lustymore Idol - a possible precursor to Sheela-na-gig carvings

Side view of the Boa Island figure, showing intertwining hair

Fragment of the Boa Island figure with portions of two hands.
Discovered by Richard Warner in 2003

Another view of the two figures

 One of the Boa Island faces

An indentation in the top of the head of the Boa Island figure holds coins left by
visitors

Suggested reading:
Hickey, H. 1976, 1985 Images of stone: figure sculpture of the Lough Erne Basin.
Enniskillen.
Lowry-Corry, D. 1933 The Stones Carved with Human Effigies on Boa Island and on
Lustymore Island, in Lower Lough Erne Proceedings of the Royal Irish Academy 41C,
200-204.
Warner, R. 2003 Two pagan idols - remarkable new discoveries Archaeology
Ireland 17.1, 24-27.

Part II | Part III >