The Evil Eye of Balla, Co. Mayo: This contribution to Folklore Focus describes an unusual carving in a Mayo graveyard.

This article focuses on an unusual medieval carving known locally as the "Evil Eye" found on a sandstone altar-table in Balla graveyard, County Mayo, Ireland, which may be the sole remnant of a ruined church noted in the 19th century. The carving relates to the widespread Irish folklore belief in the evil eye—known as droch shúil or the blink—where a malevolent gaze could cause sickness, crop failure, or misfortune, often unintentionally inflicted by the caster. The article also discusses traditional Irish protective rituals against the evil eye, such as prayers and symbolic acts, and connects the belief to broader cultural contexts, including the ancient Mesopotamian origins of the evil eye concept and similar amulets like the nazar found around the Mediterranean. Additionally, it references Irish mythology, notably Balor of the Evil Eye, and suggests a possible link between the evil eye and medieval Sheela-na-gig carvings used to ward off malevolent forces.