“MEETING PLACE” IS A STATUE located in one of Dublin’s most popular shopping areas. Unlike many of the city’s statues, which honor famous Dubliners such as James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, and George Bernard Shaw, “Meeting Place” was designed to reflect everyday city life.
The bronze sculpture was created by Jackie McKenna and put in place in 1988 in one of Dublin’s busiest shopping areas. It shows two women chatting together while sitting on a stone bench. At their feet are two shopping bags, also sculpted in bronze. One of the bags is from Arnotts, the oldest and largest department store in Dublin, which has its flagship store on nearby Henry Street. Shortly after the statue’s inauguration, one of the bags was stolen. It was replaced, and now both are securely attached to the ground.