Dublin is litterd with statues, monuments and memorials. They’re everywhere. Some pay tribute to Irish legends, some to ‘normal’ people and some to mythical characters.
The one fun thing they all have in common is the hilarious nicknames given to them by Dubliners.
Everyone knows the Irish love poking fun at… well at everything. Needless to say the city’s statues are fair game as I found out on a recent trip to Dublin.
These are some of my favourites.
Molly Malone
Molly Malone is Ireland’s most famous daughter. No one knows her true identity, or indeed if she even existed. But legend has it she was a fishmonger by day, selling cockles and mussels from her cart, and a prostitute by night.
Molly Malone is the heroine of The Dubliners famous song called erm, Molly Malone, which is now widely recognised as Ireland’s unofficial national anthem.
Her statue which was erected in 1988 as part of Dublin’s Millennium celebrations, is situated just outside St Andrews Church in Dublin City Centre.
The locals affectionally call her The Tart with the Cart. But I also heard her called the Dolly with the Trolley, the Dish with the Fish, the Flirt with the Skirt and the Trollop with the Scallop. All names given to her with love I’m sure.
The Tart with The Cart
Two Ladies Talking
Another statue built as part of the Millennium celebrations in 1988 was these two lovely ladies. You’ll find them across the road from the Ha’Penny Bridge on the north side of the River Liffey.
They represent two ordinary women having a good old natter after a day of shopping. If you scan the barcode (the blue oval shape that you can see in in the photo below), you’ll hear them talking.
And what do Dubliners call them? The Hags with the Bags of course.
The Hags with The Bags
Phil Lynott
A statue of Phil Lynott, the base player with Thin Lizzy, stands just outside Bruxelle’s bar on Harry Street.
Although he wasn’t born in Ireland, Phil spent much of his youth living in Dublin with his grandmother. And whilst it wasn’t his place of birth, Dublin is the birthplace of rock band Thin Lizzy. Phil led the band to stardom during the late 70’s and early 80’s before he died in 1988 aged only 37.
Phil’s statue was erected in 2005 at a ceremony attended by his mum and some of his former band mates. And he definitely gets the most flattering of the nicknames I heard, The Ace with The Base.
Photo by Karen V Bryan
James Joyce
James Joyce is arguably Ireland’s most famous writer and poet and is considered one of the most influential writers of the 20th century. His statue was unveiled in Earl Street in 1990 (and there’s another one in Dublin’s famous Temple Bar, pictured below). I’m not sure what he done to deserve the nickname, The P**k with the Stick.
James Joyce
The Spire of Light
You can’t miss this massive 120m high monument in O’Connell Street. The Spire was erected in 2003 and replaced the former Nelson’s Pillar which was blown up by the IRA in 1966. It was apparently known to locals for years as The Stump. But it’s also known as The Erection at the Intersection and the Stiffy at the (River) Liffey.
Photo by infomatique 
Oscar Wilde
A colourful statue of Oscar Wilde lies nonchalantly on a rock in Dublin’s Merrion Square. Although he spent the majority of his life in England, Oscar Wilde, playwright and author of The Importance of Being Ernest, was born in Ireland.
Photo by Andy Hay
I’ve no doubt the statue’s nickname, The Queer with the Leer is attributed to Oscar’s famously flamboyant style as well as his infamous imprisonment for being gay.
The Jokers Chair
The Joker’s Chair doesn’t have a nickname that I know of. But I do love the story behind the memorial to Dermot Morgan, the Irish comedian best known and loved for playing the gormless Father Ted in the hit comedy show of the same name.
The Joker’s Chair
Holding pride of place in Merrion Square, The Jokers Chair is just a short walk from Ireland’s main government building. A fitting tribute to a comedian that spent much of his career satirizing Irish politics.
Perhaps even more fittingly, the inscription on the chair reads:
… and all the rest is laughter laughter liberating laughter to be remembered.
So, if you’re looking for something fun and free to do in Dublin, take a walking tour of Dublin’s statues and monuments. And if you can think of any better nicknames I’d love to hear them.