THE WELL-KNOWN statue of Thin Lizzy rocker Phil Lynott in Dublin city centre has disappeared from its moorings.
The statue, which has become something of a tourist fixture on Harry Street, just off Grafton Street, went missing late on Friday evening.
Since being unveiled by Lynott’s (who died in 1986) mother Philomena in 2005, the statue has been removed a number of times, mostly for repairs.
In fact, the bronze sculpture’s most recent disappearance was as recently as early this year, when it sustained damage after being hit by a truck. It was returned to its iconic station in late May.
So you might have expected it to remain in place for a little longer than the five months it has.
However, there is no need for concern – Dublin City Council confirmed to TheJournal.ie that Phil has been put ‘in storage’ for a few months to allow for the repaving of Harry Street.
“They’re about to start the repaving works,” a spokesperson told us.
“They probably took it away late at night so as not to upset pedestrians.”
The whole thing is part of the upgrade of the Grafton Street’s pedestrianisation.
So we can expect to see Phil back in town in due course?
“He’ll be back some time after Christmas we estimate,” the spokesperson said.
The statue has become a well-loved part of the furniture between Bruxelles and McDaids pubs, just off Dublin’s main shopping thoroughfare.
But it has suffered its fair share of indignities over its 12-year existence.
The statue’s guitar has been stolen at least once, while in May 2013 two men were arrested after pushing the statue over and seriously damaging its coat.
In September 2015, meanwhile, another motorist accidentally hit the sculpture, leaving Lynott with a broken bass guitar and several loose strings.
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