GROPERS of the Molly Malone statue have been warned that stewards will soon be policing the famous landmark to stop her getting any unwanted attention.
The busty monument is a popular site for tourists in Dublin city centre – and visitors have been known to rub her breasts for luck.
But it has caused her neckline to become disfigured.
Now Dublin City Council is to hire stewards to patrol the statue to try to discourage groping.
They will be introduced on a pilot basis in May and will have a similar role to those who were hired to supervise the Dublin portal following issues with anti-social behaviour last year.
Dublin City Council Arts Officer Ray Yeates said this is NOT an April Fool’s joke and that the practice has caused upset.
He also said there are concerns about the safety of people perching on the plinth to touch the statue.
Dublin City Historian in Residence Catherine Scuffil said there is increasing evidence that Molly Malone was not just a character in the famous Dublin song but was a real person from the Liberties area of the city.
Ms Scuffil, who is related to the sculptor of the statue Jeanne Rynhart, said the ‘groping’ of the figure is not what the late artist would have intended for the piece.
She said the artist based the figure’s low neckline on the fashion of the time and that she believes the statue deserves more respect.
The tradition of rubbing the famous fishmonger’s breasts for luck is believed to have begun around 2012 and is thought to have been instigated by an imaginative tour guide.
Mr Yeates has said that the cost of employing people to monitor the statue would be “relatively low” in comparison to other protective measures like bringing in railings or putting it on a new plinth.
He said the stewards will likely only operate within daylight hours at first.
He added: “I think long term we need to look at the safety of people leaning against it because it could move its foundations.
“The rubbing is removing the patination or the protection of the bronze, and we have to keep redoing that every year or so.
“This is about education because it’s my observation that people are very unaware of what they’re doing, and because the plinth is low and everyone’s doing it, everyone just keeps doing it.”
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A HISTORIC Scottish hotel has plunged into administration after 160 years in business.
The announcement means that 60 local jobs are currently at risk at The George Hotel in Inveraray, Argyll and Bute.
The Main Street establishment has been owned by the Clark family since 1860, but was put up for sale last year.
Owner Kris Clark previously said that the “time is right” to hand over the hotel to “a new generation”.
Now Inveraray Inn Ltd, which operates the hotel, has been placed into administration by its directors, The Scotsman reports.
The hotel boasts 24 rooms, a cocktail bar, a pub, a restaurant and conservatory dining.
Estate agents previously described the property as being full of period charm and character.
There is also a multi-function garden bar with outdoor seating and stunning views over Loch Fyne.
Kenneth Craig and Kevin Mapstone of Begbies Traynor were appointed as joint administrators of Inveraray Inn Ltd trading as the George Hotel on March 28.
They said the business will operate as normal while efforts to find a new owner are ongoing.
Thomas McKay, a partner at Begbies Traynor, is overseeing the trade and sale process with the administrators and their staff.
He added that the hotel has been struggling with “historic debts” that have been “crippling the cash flow”.
Mr McKay said: “The directors have taken the difficult decision to place the George Hotel into administration as a result of historic debts which were crippling the cash flow of the business.
“The business has been in the Clark family for seven generations and their priority was to safeguard the jobs and future of the 60 full and part-time employees.
“The hotel has a fantastic history and beautiful location, offering excellent accommodation and food.
“The staff have also been fantastic in their hard work and everyone is determined to find the best possible outcome for the benefit of all stakeholders.”
