“In Dublin’s Fair City…”

An experience that has enriched our cultural and linguistic heritage.

During the third week of January some students of the Liceo Scientifico “Leonardo da Vinci” of Sora, including me, spent a week in Dublin living all the Irish traditions such us food, walking on the streets and getting in touch with the main symbols of Ireland. 

During that week, before going to school, we visited many characteristic places of the city accompanied by some local guides. One morning we did a tour of Dublin, walking along the most famous streets and bridges. We stopped in front of a bronze statue near a church, St Andrew’s Church, which represents a very famous woman, named Molly Malone. 

She has become the symbol of Ireland and has been mentioned in many songs of Irish artists like “The Dubliners” in the song “Molly Molone” also called “In Dublin’s Fair City”. 

Molly is told to be a fishmonger from Howth, a small town near Dublin which we also visited, who died of a very high temperature. 

According to the legend during the day she sold mussels and clams in the streets with her cart while at night she was a prostitute. For tourists it is considered a real good luck charm so, during their trip to Dublin, they touch her chest and take photos. 

This legend has aroused my curiosity! I was really struck by the devotion that the inhabitants of Dublin have towards her, so much that they have also declared an annual event on June 13th, named “Molly Malone Day”. 

Dublin is full of symbols like this. It was nice to discover them and get into the traditions of the Irish population but especially to improve my English.

Ilaria Cicchini – Classe IV sez C