Boa Island

Boa Island is an island in Lower Lough Erne in County Fermanagh, Northern Ireland, noted for a group of carved stone figures located in an open cemetery. The carved stones, including a two-faced figure often called the Janus stone, are regarded as important examples of Early Medieval and possibly pre-Christian sculpture in Ireland.

The island’s main antiquities are the carved stones set in the Caldragh cemetery; they are modest in scale but of high archaeological interest and are typically the principal reason visitors go to the island. The setting is rural and the stones are viewed in situ rather than in a formal gallery.

The carved figures on Boa Island are usually dated to the early medieval period by archaeologists, though simpler interpretations suggest some features may be older or the subject of local traditions. The island has been occupied continuously as a local community site and the stones have attracted antiquarian interest since at least the 19th century.

Boa Island sits in Lower Lough Erne in County Fermanagh and is linked to the mainland by a causeway/bridge, making it accessible by road; it lies within the lake landscape of central Fermanagh.

• Stone figures: The most visited antiquities are two standing carved stones of early medieval or older date, found in the island cemetery and accessible at ground level.

What to See #

• Caldragh cemetery and carved stones: Small burial ground on the island that contains several carved stone figures, including the well known two-faced stone often called the 'Janus' figure; the stones are displayed in an open cemetery setting rather than inside a formal museum.