By Emma Jane Cooke
Oscar Wilde and Thin Lizzy remain untouched as Molly Malone’s breasts are deemed ‘good luck’. There is currently circulation around the statue and the intentions to give her an even higher platform and to also acquire stewards but is this seriously the lengths the council need to go to for people to hands off Molly Malone?
With any picture of the statue in the media, it is quite obvious that there is a worn area around her breasts. This is from decades of contact from tourists and also locals hoping for some ‘good luck’ as the myth goes from an unknown reason. In light of recent events with the statue, you’d wonder, if only all women could afford their own personal steward to avoid unwanted attention and touching.
It is believed that the touching of the statue began in 2012 and it is clear it has affected the statue significantly in a specific area. Although, it is apparently a low cost solution to appoint a steward to the area, it also bring into context how female representations of Irish culture are treated when the platform is in reach of all heights.
With all this attention on Molly Malone, maybe it’ll be possible to get an ounce of protection or some sort of confirmation from the government that all women living in Dublin should feel safer within the city. Molly is a representation of a much bigger issue in relation to women’s values in Ireland.