This is the original wooden mould by the late Michael Biggs for the former memorial bronze plaque commemorating the first performance of Handel's Messiah in Dublin's Fishamble Street. It was made by the sculptor Michael Biggs and is a stunning piece. It was commissioned many years ago and the bronze plate was removed without notice by Dublin Corporation sometime in the early 1990s, and replaced in 2004. The text reads:

"This bronze commemorates the first performance of George Friderick Handel's oratorio Messiah given in the Old Music Hall in Fishamble Street at noon on Tuesday April 13th 1742".

The Biggs family were delighted to see Michael's fine work re-erected, and an informal ceremony was held to commemorate the 2004 Messiah event. I am most grateful to the Culwick Choral Society for the updates.

Debbie from the Volunteer Travel Blog kindly sent me the picture below, taken in August 1992. It shows the sign that replaced Michael Biggs's plaque; its prefunctory nature might suggest it was only temporary. However, it was subsequently removed, probably by Dublin Corporation, and it took a long time for this fine original to be restored to its rightful place.

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Former mould for Handel's Messiah memorial