Church of our Lady of the Wayside, Birdhill, Co. Tipperary

Whatver way you look at it, he looks thrilled to see her.

Carmelite Church, Aungier Street, Dublin 8

This one is cheating really, because it's not a shrine or a grotto, it's a statue, and if we start with the statues we'll never get finished. This is what's known as mission creep in project management speak. But I think it's gorgeous.

The conch shell! The gilding!

If you half close your eyes, it looks like baby Jesus is drinking a bottle.

Durrow, Co. Laois

This shrine is located at St Fintan's Boys' National School on Carrigan Street in Durrow.  Technically, this is the Holy Family, rather than a Marian shrine.  But we won't quibble, will we?

"Mary, Jesus, Joseph
Holy Family"

More peeling paint.

Taking pictures through glass is hard, but the white streak on the left actually seems to be fake snow.

Avondale House, Cumberland Street, Dublin 1

Sometimes, you go looking for a Marian Shrine and you find a statue of the Sacred Heart. Sometimes, you find Saint Joseph. Saturdays are for these statues and shrines.

Saint Joseph carrying the baby Jesus, and one of his attributes, lilies.

I would like very much to take a brush to that peeling paintwork.