Wolfe Tone Statue
Dublin, Ireland
Standing tall, stoic, and questioning in bronze that has turned green with time, the Wolfe Tone Statue is a larger-than-life memorial to a larger-than-life man, who most consider the father of Irish republicanism. In front of a semi-circle of granite monoliths, the revolutionary’s angular features feel surprisingly modern, despite his 18th-century garb—and, indeed, the statue is from the 1960s.
The basics
The Wolfe Tone Statue is one of a number of statues and memorials in the pretty park known as St. Stephen’s Green, and, alongside the haunting Famine Memorial behind the sculpture, it’s a moving and interesting stop, particularly on a sunny day. Both the Irish Famine and Wolfe Tone are key parts of Dublin’s story, so quite a few walking tours and sightseeing tours stop by here. You may even be able to visit on a ghost tour.
Things to know before you go
- The Wolfe Tone Statue is a great choice for Irish history buffs and sculpture fans.
- Most travelers spend just a minute or two at the statue, but it’s easy to spend an hour or more wandering the park.
- Both St. Stephen’s Green and the area around the statue are wheelchair accessible.
How to get there
The Wolfe Tone Statue stands in the east corner of St. Stephen’s Green in central Dublin. The Luas Green Line tram stops a 5-minute walk away, at the other side of the park, or you can catch one of a range of buses to Kildare Street.
When to get there
St. Stephen’s Green opens at 7:30am Monday through Saturday, and 9:30am on Sundays and bank holidays. It closes when it gets dark, with the exception of Christmas Day, when it’s only open a few hours, till the early afternoon.
The statues and sculptures of St. Stephen’s Green
Behind the Wolfe Tone Statue you’ll see the Famine Memorial, an eerie group of emaciated figures that commemorates the Great Famine, which killed at least 1 million Irish people and drove many more to emigrate. Other sculptures of note in the park include Knife Edge, an angular abstract figure by Henry Moore, and a bust of the groundbreaking novelist James Joyce.
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