Meeting Place

Free to visit

At the North end of the Ha'Penny Bridge, the Meeting Place is affectionately nicknamed ‘the Hags with the Bags’ by the locals. Sculpted by Jackie McKenna, it was unveiled in 1988, the year of Dublin’s Millennium celebrations.

Just at the North side of Ha'penny Bridge, at the end of Liffey Street, two women have sat down for a chat in the middle of a busy day's shopping, their bags at their feet. Situated in one of Dublin's most popular shopping areas, one bag is from Arnotts Department Store on nearby Henry Street. Jakki McKenna's 1988 bronze sculpture was designed to reflect everyday city life. Shortly after the sculpture's installation, one of the bags was stolen - quite a difficult feat, given that it was made from bronze and extremely heavy! The bags are now secured firmly to the ground.

Like many Dublin statues, these women have a local nickname 'the Hags with the Bags'.