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Council chiefs have given up posting stewards at the Molly Malone statue to stop tourists from molesting it and are now scrambling to find a more permanent solution, Dublin Live can reveal.
Dublin City Council believe the practise is “ingrained” into sightseers and confirmed they are exploring the idea of installing flower beds around the base as a possible fix. Rubbing the famous fishmonger’s breasts for luck is believed to have been thought up by a cheeky tour guide in 2012.
Council bosses acknowledged that when the marshals were in place, people would cooperate, but once they were gone, the Suffolk Street effigy would be groped again. Molly Malone’s chest area has become discoloured from being rubbed by countless tourists – but we can also reveal that preparations are underway to have it restored.
In April, it was announced stewards would patrol the famous statue for a week from the start of May. As part of the programme, the wardens stood near the statue, located outside St Andrew’s Church, and intervened if any tourists went to feel her bust.
When the initiative was announced, Dublin City Council Arts Officer Ray Yeates also said he had concerns about the safety of people climbing onto the plinth to touch the statue. Dublin Live contacted Dublin City Council to ask what the outcome of the pilot was and if they had plans to appoint stewards permanently.
In response, a spokesperson said: “The Stewards were in situ for 1 week in May. When approached not to touch the statue, people were generally cooperative but without stewards the behaviour returns and is ingrained apparently as part of your visit to Dublin,” he said. “Tour guides also cooperated very well by asking their groups not to touch the statue.”
It comes as emails sent to Mr Yeates and the council, which were released to us following a Freedom of Information request, show Dubliners were divided about the practice. One email stated: “Please spend your money on promoting the arts and maybe if you don’t have need for the budget give it to one of the departments that deal with Garda forums or general matters of urban decay.”
Another email stated: “I’m a young girl, I walk past it everyday on my way to school, and seeing an admirable woman be sexualised and degraded causes me extreme upset.”
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