I notice as I was passing the Provost's House in Grafton street that the recent renovations and cleaning of the stone-work has caused the carvings on the stone to show up much more clearly than before. One of the most striking features of the carving is the representation of an animal's skull which can be seen featuring several times. I remember noticing the same design on a number of Dublin buildings, and I think it must be intended to represent the skull of a sheep. The custom of putting a sheep's skull on a building is of great antiquity, and can, I believe, be traced back to Roman times. At all events, it is certain that the sheep has always been regarded as of happy omen, and the sign of its skull is supposed to ward off evil from the house upon which it is placed.
The Irish Times, April 19th, 1929.