A popular and unusual Northern Irish attraction has now been made into a 3d enamel pin!
3d Pin
‘Antique-silver’ finish
30mm Tall
13.5m Wide
Two Pins on Back, with black rubber clutches
‘Deadly.ie’ Embossing on Back
The Boa Island figures are two carved stones that can be found at Lough Erne, in County Fermanagh. The larger stone is referred to as the ‘Janus’ or ‘Dreenan’ stone (which is what I’ve based this pin on) and the smaller is the ‘Lustymore’ figure. They’re thought to be from the late Iron Age, but some suggest that they’re more recent and belong to the early Christian period.
As such, there’s debate about what they are - there’s a huge difference in pagan symbols and Christian ones. Is it a ritual stone? A depiction of a Christian figure? Was it built for free-kick practice? We might never know. The Tuath website has some great theories about what they might be, as well as lots of other helpful information about them - including coordinates to help you find them.
Regardless of what they depict, they’re hugely popular in the local area and they are even said to be the basis of Seamus Heaney’s January God poem.
The locals were pretty angered by the thoughts of them being moved to a Museum in Belfast, so they’re still in the position that they were when they were initially moved in the 1930s.
Like many carved pieces during this period, they are also a little goofy looking. This is all part of their charm. Someone put a remarkable amount of physical work into these pieces, because it was obviously important to them and their community. They made something incredible with all the skills and knowledge available to them at the time and yet, it’s charmingly imperfect. I love them.
Other Reading about the Boa Island Statue
A popular and unusual Northern Irish attraction has now been made into a 3d enamel pin!
3d Pin
‘Antique-silver’ finish
30mm Tall
13.5m Wide
Two Pins on Back, with black rubber clutches
‘Deadly.ie’ Embossing on Back
The Boa Island figures are two carved stones that can be found at Lough Erne, in County Fermanagh. The larger stone is referred to as the ‘Janus’ or ‘Dreenan’ stone (which is what I’ve based this pin on) and the smaller is the ‘Lustymore’ figure. They’re thought to be from the late Iron Age, but some suggest that they’re more recent and belong to the early Christian period.
As such, there’s debate about what they are - there’s a huge difference in pagan symbols and Christian ones. Is it a ritual stone? A depiction of a Christian figure? Was it built for free-kick practice? We might never know. The Tuath website has some great theories about what they might be, as well as lots of other helpful information about them - including coordinates to help you find them.
Regardless of what they depict, they’re hugely popular in the local area and they are even said to be the basis of Seamus Heaney’s January God poem.
The locals were pretty angered by the thoughts of them being moved to a Museum in Belfast, so they’re still in the position that they were when they were initially moved in the 1930s.
Like many carved pieces during this period, they are also a little goofy looking. This is all part of their charm. Someone put a remarkable amount of physical work into these pieces, because it was obviously important to them and their community. They made something incredible with all the skills and knowledge available to them at the time and yet, it’s charmingly imperfect. I love them.
Other Reading about the Boa Island Statue
