FROM THE ROAD.

The story of Molly Malone, the Dublin fishwife.

For those who have actually visited Dublin in their lifetime, the story of Molly Malone will certainly not be new. A very famous Irish folk song since the 17th century, it tells the story of a fishwife (whose historical existence is uncertain) who alternated her day job with that of a prostitute at night.

She died prematurely, and a statue was erected to remember her in the very capital city. Her popularity especially in Ireland is enormous, but many tourists also seek her out to kiss a part of her body, a well-wishing action according to popular superstition.

Made famous by Dubliners, her bitter end is known all over the world.

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Molly Malone in Dublin
The statue of Molly Malone, located in Dublin, was unveiled in 1988 in honor of the Irish city's millennium. The legend, which originated in the 17th century, tells of a woman who alternated between working as a fishmonger and a harlot. She died young of an unknown disease, perhaps plague or malaria but more likely typhus.
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The mysterious identity
Research has not been able to discover much about the identity of this Dublin symbol. Moreover, the diminutive Molly and the surname Malone were, and still are, tremendously common in Ireland. The idea on which scholars most agree speaks of a woman from Howth, a village north of Dublin, who died on June 13, 1699. Even today, on that date, Molly Malone is celebrated throughout Dublin.
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A magnet for tourists
Plenty of tourists take pictures together with the famous fishwife in the streets of Dublin. The statue, until 2014, had been placed at Grafton Street, the shopping street in the heart of Dublin, but was later moved to Suffolk Street, right in front of the Tourist Office.
A ghost on the streets of Dublin
Another legend also says that on foggy nights, the ghost of the fishmonger still roams the streets of Gratfon Street, dragging her cart behind her and shouting "mussels and cockles".
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In Dublin's fair city.....
Molly Malone is still a Gaelic folk song that has become the unofficial anthem of Dubliners and all of Ireland. It was not recorded until the late 19th century, but its most famous version is undoubtedly that of Dubliners. Although its origin is unknown, it may have been adapted from two earlier songs that featured a character named Molly Malone, "Widow Malone" and "Meet Me Miss Molly Malone".
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Molly Malone, the folk song
According to the text of the song, Molly was a beautiful young fishmonger who by day sold her wares from a cart on the streets of Dublin, while at night, due to poverty, she was forced to sell her beauty to get by and make a living.
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