The Tandragee Idol is a silly lil guy - and he might be a man with a silver arm, or a man who cut someones’ brains out and made a missile with them - or he might be the basis for the Northern Irish Mr. Tayto?
3d Pin
‘Antique-gold’ finish
30mm Tall
20m Wide
Two Pins on Back, with black rubber clutches
‘Deadly.ie’ Embossing on Back
The Tandragee Idol sculpture was discovered sometime in the 1830s. It spent an unknown period of time in an old ladies’ rockery before ending up in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Co. Armagh.
This Sandstone and Granite sculpture from (probably) the Iron Age is pretty mysterious - so mysterious in fact, that we can’t actually tell what he’s all about.
Some believe it to be a depiction of the First Chieftain of the Tuatha Dé Danann, Nuada Airgetlám/Airgedlámh. Nuada, famously had their arm lobbed off by the Fir Bolg and lost the throne - only to have it replaced with a brand new silver arm (hence his surname). This ‘holding his arm in place’ pose could suggest that it’s the big man himself - but well, we don’t really know.
It could also be Conall Cearnach - who tied one of his arms to his side to give his one-armed opponents a fighting chance. He allegedly killed the Leinster King, Meas Geaghra with this self-imposed impediment, then mixed his dead foes brains with lime to form - and I quote - a ‘brain ball’, which he presented to King Choncobhar Mac Nassa in Co. Armagh. (The ball was later nicked, fired back at King Conchobhar and ultimately killed him. What a gift!).
Richard Warner found another one of this style of carvings in 2003 and John O’Neill wrote in Archeology Ireland that these pieces make more sense when viewed together. They’re all holding something and when compared to other stone carvings of the period, it’s more than likely a libation; they’re pouring on out for their god.
What about Mr Tayto? Well, it probably isn’t any connection really - but Tandragee is the home to Northern Irish Tayto. I just find it strange that their mascot is a giant-headed, smiling beady-eyed man, is all.
The Tandragee Idol is a silly lil guy - and he might be a man with a silver arm, or a man who cut someones’ brains out and made a missile with them - or he might be the basis for the Northern Irish Mr. Tayto?
3d Pin
‘Antique-gold’ finish
30mm Tall
20m Wide
Two Pins on Back, with black rubber clutches
‘Deadly.ie’ Embossing on Back
The Tandragee Idol sculpture was discovered sometime in the 1830s. It spent an unknown period of time in an old ladies’ rockery before ending up in St. Patrick’s Cathedral in Co. Armagh.
This Sandstone and Granite sculpture from (probably) the Iron Age is pretty mysterious - so mysterious in fact, that we can’t actually tell what he’s all about.
Some believe it to be a depiction of the First Chieftain of the Tuatha Dé Danann, Nuada Airgetlám/Airgedlámh. Nuada, famously had their arm lobbed off by the Fir Bolg and lost the throne - only to have it replaced with a brand new silver arm (hence his surname). This ‘holding his arm in place’ pose could suggest that it’s the big man himself - but well, we don’t really know.
It could also be Conall Cearnach - who tied one of his arms to his side to give his one-armed opponents a fighting chance. He allegedly killed the Leinster King, Meas Geaghra with this self-imposed impediment, then mixed his dead foes brains with lime to form - and I quote - a ‘brain ball’, which he presented to King Choncobhar Mac Nassa in Co. Armagh. (The ball was later nicked, fired back at King Conchobhar and ultimately killed him. What a gift!).
Richard Warner found another one of this style of carvings in 2003 and John O’Neill wrote in Archeology Ireland that these pieces make more sense when viewed together. They’re all holding something and when compared to other stone carvings of the period, it’s more than likely a libation; they’re pouring on out for their god.
What about Mr Tayto? Well, it probably isn’t any connection really - but Tandragee is the home to Northern Irish Tayto. I just find it strange that their mascot is a giant-headed, smiling beady-eyed man, is all.
