One of the most popular tourist bars in Dublin city centre has set tongues wagging today with the unveiling of a giant statue of our patron saint, holding a pint of the black stuff.
The Temple Bar pub in the infamous tourist area of the city revealed the statue this morning, when workmen were seen hoisting the ten-foot-tall St. Patrick Statue into place outside the front of the pub.
The cobbled streets of Temple Bar are expected to be overflowing with tourists for the annual festivities on March 17th, with the giant statue of the Guinness-loving version of our patron saint appearing in all his glory.
However, in an unusual move, just before 10.30 am, installers hurriedly threw a plastic bin bag over St Patrick’s pint on the towering 10-foot statue; the reason for doing so is still not clear.
An hour later, the bin bag was changed for a smarter green cloth in a swift bid to hide the pint detail.
This particular area of Dublin is known for the price of the pint, and not in a good way. A pint of Guinness in Temple Bar can cost as much as €10.95 – but as with most tourist areas in countries worldwide, the local population rarely visit, unless showing visiting relatives or friends around the city.
The question now is, how long will this statue remain untouched? Will the pint stay in St. Patrick’s hand until his national day on March 17th? Or will some mischievous revellers get an idea that seemed like a good one at 2 am, and Temple Bar will wake up to a pintless Patrick mourning his glass of the black stuff.
Temple Bar is watching and waiting, and with 18 days to go until the city is thronged with tourists, we hope the ten-foot-tall St. Patrick will survive to oversee the festivities.
