Have you ever thought about how, sometimes, even statues can tell us the story of a city? It happened to me, in a particular way, during the week I spent in Dublin. So today I’m here to tell you about the “Dublin’s statues”! Let’s start with the statue of Molly Malone: it is a woman who, according to the legend, was born in the seventeenth century and worked alternating her work as a fishmonger to that of a prostitute.
We don’t know how she died if it was due whether to typhus or venereal disease. It isn’t known who exactly the woman was, but probably it is a woman who died on June 13, 1699 (the day set for the anniversary dedicated to Molly Malone). Initially, the statue was at the end of Grafton Street in the centre of Dublin, but since 18 July 2014, it was moved to Suffolk Street (opposite the tourist information office). The statue represents a woman who is working as a fishmonger, with her breast well in sight (to indicate her activity as a prostitute). In Merrion Square, inside its garden, it’s located the Oscar Wilde‘s statue.
From some of the information, I found before leaving, the reason why the statue was placed right there, in the square itself, is because it is located just in front of the building where Oscar Wilde lived for 23 years (1855 – 1878). You can read about the fact that Wilde lived in this square on the plate affixed right to the building at number 1 of Merrion square. I keep talking about literature through the statue of James Joyce.
 This statue is located opposite Earl Street North, a small side street off O’Connell street near the Spire. Joyce was, like Wilde, of Irish descent, and this bond is indeed heavily present in his works.
I started this article with a legend, and I end with the memory of a tragic period for the city and Ireland. In the modern Docklands area, on the Custom House Quay, we find the Famine memorial. This installation was made in memory of all the Irish who were forced to emigrate due to the Great Famine, caused in the nineteenth century by a potato disease called Peronospora (an illness that rots the potatoes). The statues are so well made that they let me take a thousand thoughts and questions, along with a little bit of anxiety.
Not far away is the World Poverty Stone, a circular stone set in the pavement designed to commemorate the World Day against Poverty in the World, set for October 17 every year by the United Nations.
I conclude here this story from Dublin, and I would add just two questions for you: Have you ever been in town? Do you want to tell me about your experience? Write it in a comment, I like to share all the experiences!