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Pat McAuliffe’s Decorative Plasterwork

Local Listowel plasterer and builder Pat McAuliffe (1846 - 1921) used stucco or external plaster to decorate the facades of townhouses and shops in the town and surrounding area.

Pat McAuliffe left his mark on his native Listowel in the form of some unique items of plasterwork, the most famous of which is The Maid of Erin.

This depicts a Romantic image of Mother Ireland surrounded by a harp, a wolfhound and other symbols of Ireland. Other examples of this craftsman’s work can be seen on shop fronts around the town, notably Mai Quinlan’s and The Harp and Lion in Church Street, and also in Castleisland.

The Maid was at the centre of a controversy in 1999 when a new owner decided to “cover her dignity” and painted a dress on her famous bosom. A lively debate ensued and he was persuaded to return her to her original semi-nude state.