Ireland's Molly Malone statue gets 'boob job' to repair damage done by tourists

Ireland's Molly Malone statue gets 'boob job' to repair damage done by tourists

Tourists believe it is good luck to touch Molly Malone's chest but the statue became discolored

View 2 Images Molly Malone is located outside St Andrew’s Church in Dublin (Image: SAM BOAL/COLLINS)

Dublin's famous Molly Malone statue has got a boob job – to repair the damage done by groping hands.

The newly refurbished Molly was unveiled to the public on Sunday with a new layer of coating. The work has restored some of the work’s modesty after Molly’s breasts were rubbed to a bright shine by photo trophy hunters.

Last week, the iconic statue was boarded off while it underwent “essential maintenance” due to damage, Dublin City Council said.

Now, tourists and Dubliners alike are already flocking back to take photos with the famous Dublin art work, created in 1988 by Irish sculptor Jeanne Rynhart.

The statue is widely popular among tourists who believe it is good luck to rub its chest. The practice only dates back to 2012 and is believed to have been started by a tour guide.

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The famous fishmonger’s chest became discolored from years of rubbing – with a week of works being done by the council to get the statue back to its former glory.

View 2 Images The Molly Malone statue was created by sculptor Jeanne Rynhart (Image: SAM BOAL/COLLINS)

As part of a pilot program in May, wardens stood adjacent to the statue, located outside St Andrew’s Church, and intervened if any tourists went to feel her bust.

But Dublin City Council said they believe the groping of the sculpture is “ingrained” into sightseers and something tourists just do as part of their trip while in the capital. Council bosses acknowledged when the wardens were in place, people would cooperate, but once they were gone, the Suffolk Street effigy would be groped again.

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City chiefs are now hoping installing flower beds around the artwork will be enough to stop tourists from groping it – after it had success in other parts of the city.

Dublin City Council Ray Yeates, who is the Arts Officer, said that when plants pots were put in front of the Portal, it stopped punters from touching it.

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When asked if he felt the move would be enough to finally put an end to the behavior, he told The Star: “I don’t know, that's the short answer to it.”

“It worked very well for us at the Portal when we used flower planters to stop people from touching the Portal. We’re certainly going to try this and see how it works

Mr Yeates added: “I think is a worldwide phenomenon, it occurs in statues that are easily accessible to the public. It’s men, women and animals that get touched.

“It’s a difficult one because people will want to make statues not that accessible to the public but it’s just something we’re going to have to manage and it’s in a very popular part of the city.”

Rubbing the famous fishmonger’s breasts for luck is believed to have been thought up by a cheeky tour guide in 2012.

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