ONE OF Dubin's landmark hotels has removed four statues from the entrance to the property.
The Shelbourne Hotel, situated on St Stephen's Green in the city centre, erected four statues on plinths in 1867; 153 years ago.
Two of the statues depict slave girls holding torches with manacles around their feet, the other two depict Nubian princesses: all four of the statues were quietly removed from the property yesterday.
Explaining the decision, Irish Times journalist Ronan McGreevy appeared on RTÉ's Drivetime where he said the hotel did not come under any pressure to remove them.
Instead, Mr McGreevy said, the hotel removed the statues voluntarily due to the links to slavery and in solidarity with the worldwide movement against racism.
The statues depict slave girls with their feet in shackles holding torches (Shelbourne Hotel )The slave girls depicted in The Shelbourne's statues would have been from the time of the Pharaohs rather than modern history, Mr McGreevy added, but the hotel still felt it best that they were removed from the property.
For now, the plinths outside The Shelbourne stand empty, with the hotel in talks with the Irish Heritage Council as to what to do with the statues.
It is unclear whether new statues or sculptures will be commissioned to take their place.
See More: Shelbourne, Slaves, Statues
