Molly Malone Statue | Monuments

Before you read on, press play on the video below to enjoy the unofficial anthem of Dublin city which features our beloved Molly Malone. If you ever end up in a traditional Irish Pub and the locals start to sing, this is likely the song you will be hearing.

The original song dates back to 1883 and there is much debate about if the song is based on a real or fictitious character. The song tells the story of a young female fishmonger who sold cockles and mussels from her barrow which she would wheel around the streets of Dublin. Both her parents were also in the same profession wheeling there barrows around the city. The story tells of how she died of a fever and now her ghost haunts the city streets. The statue gifted to the city by Jury’s Hotel Groups and was placed on Grafton Street in 1988. It has since been relocated to Suffolk Street to allow work on a light rail track.

In Dublin’s fair city, where the girls are so pretty I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone As she wheeled her wheelbarrow through streets broad and narrow Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O A-live a-live O, A-live a-live O Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O She was a fishmonger and sure it was no wonder For so were her father and mother before And they both wheeled their barrows through streets broad and narrow Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O A-live a-live O, A-live a-live O Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O She died of a fever and no one could save her And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone Now her ghost wheels her barrow through streets broad and narrow Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O! A-live a-live O, A-live a-live O Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O A-live a-live O, A-live a-live O Crying cockles and mussels alive a-live O