Did Molly Malone really exist?

Answer 1

Molly Malone" (also known as "Cockles And Mussels") is the unofficial anthem of Dublin City in Ireland. The song is sung by supporters of Dublin GAA, Leinster Rugby teams and Irish international rugby team, and tells the tale of a beautiful fishmonger who plied her trade on the streets of Dublin, but tragically died young, of a fever.


Statue of Molly on Grafton StreetMolly is commemorated in a statue designed by Jeanne Rynhart [1], placed at the bottom of Grafton Street in Dublin, erected to celebrate the city's first millennium in 1987; this statue is known colloquially as 'The Tart With The Cart', 'The Fish With The Dish' and 'The Trollop With The Scallops'. The statue portrays Molly as a busty young woman in seventeenth-century dress, and is claimed to represent the real person on whom the song is based. Her low-cut dress and large breasts were justified on the grounds that as 'women breastfed publicly in Molly's time, breasts were popped out all over the place'. [2]

An urban legend has grown up around the figure of the historical Molly, who has been presented variously as a hawker by day and part-time prostitute by night, or - in contrast - as one of the few chaste female street-hawkers of her day.

However, there is no evidence that the song is based on a real woman who lived in the 17th century, or at any other time, despite claims that records of her birth and death have been located. Certainly, there were many Mary or Molly Malones born in Dublin over the centuries, but no evidence connects any of them to the events in the song, which was not recorded earlier than the early 1880s, when it was published as a work written and composed by James Yorkston, of Edinburgh. The song is in a familiar tragi-comic mode popular in this period, probably influenced by earlier songs with a similar theme, such as Percy Montross's "My Darling Clementine", which was written circa 1880.

Answer 2

No. There, of course, have been many Molly Malones born in Dublin, however, none that have been connected with the famous Molly of song and legend. I'm sure that there is still debate on this one, but, as in legend or a real historical figure, she will always be part of the folklore of the epic.

Answer 3

The statue was inspried by the song tells the fictional tale of a beautiful fishmonger who plied her trade on the streets of Dublin, but who died young, of a fever. In the late 20th century a legend grew up that there was a historical Molly, who lived in the 17th century. She is typically represented as a hawker by day and part-time prostitute by night In contrast she has also been portrayed as one of the few chaste female street-hawkers of her day. However, there is no evidence that the song is based on a real woman

Answer 4

Yes

Answer 5

Yes she did and in Dublin there is a statue of her. She was a prostitue or something I think

Answer 6

Yes.

Answer 7

Molly ??? Thats a fish isnt it.

Answer 8

No, but I have a wheel barrow for sale.

Answer 9

no but a mate of mine sells cockels and mussels

Answer 10

yes she did, although she didn't really sell cockles and muscles......she was a prostitute.....honest.