The bronze statue of Molly Malone on Suffolk Street, Dublin, Ireland remains a popular pilgrimage site for fans of Irish culture and literature.
The statue was commissioned for 1988 Dublin Millennium celebrations: simultaneously the then Mayor declared 13 June to be Molly Malone Day.
The first known publication of the ‘Molly Malone Poem’ was in late 19th century Boston, but supposedly it is based on the life of a 17th century fishwife: whether or not there’s any truth to this remains unclear. Versions of the song have been covered by a range of Irish musicians including U2, Sinead O’Connor and the Dubliners.
“So, who is the famous Molly Malone, and why does she have a statue?
Molly is the main character of a song: the first verse goes:
In Dublin’s fair city,
Where the girls are so pretty,
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone,
As she wheeled her wheel-barrow,
Through streets broad and narrow,
Crying, “Cockles and mussels alive, alive oh!”
The statue of Molly Malone added further credibility to the legend, as well as recognizing its place in cultural and musical lore. Originally the statue was on Grafton Street: dressed in traditional 17th century dress, she’s known colloquially by locals as ‘The Tart with the Cart’ or ‘The Trollop with the Scallops’. The statue’s sexualization has raised eyebrows and criticism since its creation.
She was moved to her current location in 2014: a recent piece of ‘folklore’ often told to tourists is that rubbing her breasts will bring good luck, and the patches of wear are evident.