Cockles and Mussels Alive, Alive Oh!

This post will be dedicated to the woman whose legendary song has become the unofficial anthem of Dublin City: Molly Malone.

I’ve been wanting to write a blog about this ever since Molly peaked my interest just a few short days after arriving in Dublin. The story goes that by day, Molly sold fresh fish from a wheel barrow that she wheeled around Dublin, but by night she made a living by “entertaining” various men. This struck me. A 17^th Century women who is a small business owner and prostitute gets a statue erected in the center of Dublin and inspires a song that has been lovingly belted out by generations of Irish. Interesting. Could Molly Malone have been the forerunner of women’s occupational and sexual liberation? Are we looking at one of the very first feminists?

I did a little more research on Molly and found that there is no evidence of an actual Molly Malone of this description having existed. It is more likely that the song was written as a representation of women like Molly who lived and worked in 17^th century Dublin. Even so, the idea that an independent woman like Molly Malone could be so well revered as to imbed herself as an established figure in Irish culture is both astounding and inspiring. Well … it’s inspiring to a feminist like myself who witnesses the relentless bashing of women’s sexuality on all too regular of a basis. So what does this say about cultural Irish attitudes towards women’s lib? Are the Irish more open minded than their conservative reputation leads us to believe? Is Molly Malone just an exception? Whatever the case may be, Molly still stands tall and proud smack in the center of downtown Dublin, and her legend lives on in the hearts of the Irish. Go get ‘em, girl!

Listen to the song here!