IT’S EASY TO walk through the streets of Dublin city and miss the quirky things that give the city such heart – from the hoax plaque on O’Connell Bridge to Dublin 7′s Hungry Tree.
This one is a little different, though: all around the city are bright blue plaques, showcasing a coat of arms and a Latin inscription. You’ll see them on lampposts, bins and on the gates of the Mansion House, to name but a few spots. So, what’s their story?
According to the Dublin City website, the three burning castles depicted are part of Dublin’s coat of arms – you can see the full crest below.
It’s been in use for over 400 years, though no one really knows why our coat of arms is a literal house on fire – they could represent the ancient gates to the city, or watch towers outside the city walls.
The Latin inscription reads “Obedientia Civium Urbis Felicitas”. This slightly ominous-sounding phrase is, in fact, the city’s motto - it translates to ”the obedience of the citizens produces a happy city”.
Not exactly fitting with a city with a history like Dublin — so much so, that a former Lord Mayor of Dublin Mary Freehill called for it to be changed a few years ago. “We should look to a motto that reflects the values of a healthy city and is more inclusive of all our citizens” she said in 2014, noting that “a lot has changed in Ireland over 400 years”.
The bid to change the motto was evidently unsuccessful, and so the lamppost plaques remain in place throughout Dublin. While the motto is a strange one, we don’t mind having these plaques strewn throughout the city – they brighten up the place and offer a great story to those who take a second look.
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