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Molly Malone is the unofficial anthem of Dublin city : this song with its comic-tragic overtones tells us about the story of Molly and her double life, fishmonger by day and woman of little vertue at night…
She was found dead in the streets of Dublin as a result of an occupational disease…

Molly's statue stands near St Andrews Church - where Molly has been baptized in 1663 - at the junction of Grafton Street and Suffolk Street.
Fictional or real character, who knows? However, it's taken seriously in Dublin where the tercentenary of her death (1699-1999) has been celebrated.
Some say that her ghost still haunts the streets of Dublin to sell his shellfish…

The origins of the tune and of its lyrics are pretty unclear : we've got at least two different authors apart from probable traditional sources.
The song is also known as Cockles And Mussels.

Molly Malone
(Cockles And Mussels)

In Dublin fair city
Where the girls are so pretty
I first set my eyes on sweet Molly Malone
As she wheels her wheel barrow
Through the streets broad and narrow
Crying Cockles and Mussels a-live a-live O!
A-live a-live O!
A-live a-live O!
Crying Cockles and Mussels a-live a-live O!


She was a fishmonger
And sure ’twas no wonder
For so were her father and mother before
And they both wheeled their barrow
Through the streets broad and narrow
Crying Cockles and Mussels a-live a-live O!
(Chorus)


She died of a fever
And no one could save her
And that was the end of sweet Molly Malone
But her ghost wheels her barrow
Through the streets broad and narrow
Crying Cockles and Mussels a-live a-live O!…

MOLLY STATUE (DUBLIN)