Singing About Molly Malone

When you visit Dublin, you will find Molly Malone is the most talked about woman in the city. They mention her at the Irish Rock 'n’ Roll Museum and on Sandemans’ New Dublin free walking tour. They talk about her on the Dublin by Night Tour. There is even a statue of her on Suffolk Street in Dublin City, but who is Molly Malone?  Is she based on a real person or just a fictional character in a song?

The popular Irish song Molly Malone, famously performed by The Dubliners and also known as Cockles and Mussels, tells the tale of a young woman named Molly Malone, who roamed the streets of Dublin, selling fish from a wheelbarrow and singing as she went. According to the song, Molly tragically died of a fever, and legend has it that her ghost still lingers in the city.

Origin stories about Molly or Mary Malone from the 17th century have been connected to England, Scotland, and the United States. While some accounts mention a Mary Malone baptized and buried at St. John’s Church in Dublin, many doubt her existence, turning Molly into an urban legend. Folklore suggests that touching her cleavage brings good luck. In true Irish fashion, Dubliners have lovingly dubbed her the tart with the cart, the dolly with the trolley, and the dish with the fish.

Although there is no definitive proof that Molly Malone was a real person, a bronze statue was erected in her honor in 1988. This monument has since been voted as Ireland's most popular landmark.The mystery surrounding Molly Malone may never be solved, but the song dedicated to her is a classic that is performed in sports arenas, concert halls, and pubs across Ireland. It has also been featured in various movies and TV shows. Cockles & Mussels has become the unofficial anthem of Dublin and has been covered by famous Irish artists like The Dubliners, Sinead O'Connor, and U2.

Lyrics to Molly Malone

In Dublin’s fair city,

Where the girls are so pretty,

I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone,

As she wheeled her wheelbarrow,

Through streets broad and narrow,

Crying, “Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!”

Alive, alive, oh,

Alive, alive, oh,

Crying, “Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh”.

She was a fishmonger,

But sure 'twas no wonder,

So were her father and mother before,

And they all wheeled their barrows,

Through streets broad and narrow,

Crying, “Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!"

(chorus)

She died of a fever,

And no one could save her,

And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone.

Now her ghost wheels her barrow,

Through streets broad and narrow,

Crying, “Cockles and mussels, alive, alive, oh!”

(chorus)x2