Welcome to Oscar Wilde House

This house was built in 1760 and was the very first construction on Merrion Square. Thank you for visiting us. We are a registered charity and all the funds raised from the house visits, guided tours and merchandise go towards the house restoration fund.

Please note that VIDEO recording is NOT permitted during your visit. Photography is allowed. Audio and video recording are not allowed during the weekly guided tour.

The Wilde family moved here from just around the corner, at 21 Westland Row, in 1855, when Oscar Wilde was an eight-month-old infant. The Wilde family lived here for more than two decades, from 1855 to 1879.

Oscar’s father, William Wilde, was a famous eye and ear surgeon, as well as an archaeologist, and travel writer. He also worked on the census of Ireland in 1841, 1851 and 1861. The family had six servants and two governesses were hired to educate the children, although Oscar’s mother, Jane Wilde, (Speranza) taught her children Greek and Latin from a very young age.

You are invited to begin your visit by watching a video in the lounge on the history of the house and Oscar’s extraordinary parents.

Below your feet are the original Irish oak floorboards, so you are walking in the footsteps of Oscar Wilde, Speranza, Bram Stoker, John B Yeats and host of other famous people who visited this house over the years.

Entrance Hall

The walls of the hallway are decorated with neo-classical reliefs, designed by the Danish sculptor Bertel Thorvaldsen (1770-1844). Speranza brought these back from one of her trips to Scandinavia in the 1860s. There are more examples of Thorvaldsen’s work.

At our reception is the coloured window featuring The Happy Prince. This was installed by the Oscar Wilde Society in 1997. Throughout the building are paintings of lilies by the Irish artist Gerard Byrne (gerardbyrneartist.com).

Back Stairs

Our back stairs are decorated with images of Oscar Wilde’s biblical play Salome. The drawings are by Aubrey Beardsley (1872-1898).

Consultation Room

The consultation room is home to the glass cabinets which house books by Oscar Wilde, William Wilde and Speranza. Here we have a letter written by Oscar’s mother from this house 165 years ago. There is also an example of a medical instrument called ‘The Wilde’s Snare’, which was invented by William Wilde.

Dining Room

The Dining Room houses the large, framed photograph of Oscar Wilde which was taken in 1889 when he was 35 years old. This room was one of the two rooms used for the famous salons hosted by Speranza from around 1855 to 1875.

Speranza Salon Room

The Speranza Salon Room overlooks Merrion Square. It is attached to the Conservatory where you can find the bust of Oscar Wilde, designed by Irish sculptor Melanie le Brocquy (1919-2018). The Speranza room is the other room where Jane Wilde (Speranza) held her famous salons every Saturday for almost two decades. Artists, politicians, actors, scientists and poets would gather here each week.

Bedrooms

On the next floor up are the bedrooms of Speranza and William Wilde. Jane Wilde gave birth to Oscar’s little sister Isola in her room on April 2, 1857. Oscar’s father is the only member of the Wilde family to die in this house. He passed away on April 19, 1876, at the age of 61.

Oscar’s Wilde bedroom is on the top floor. Please be careful entering and leaving the rooms as the doorframe is low. To the right of the door is an exhibit on Oscar’s lecture tour of the United States and Canada in 1882.

Library

William Wilde’s library on the ground floor is where he wrote many of his books and papers, and this is where a famous conversation took place about ancient Egypt between William Wilde and the author of Dracula, Bram Stoker. The bookcases that William Wilde installed are still in use today. He made extensive changes to the house in 1861 including the addition of the conservatory, the gallery, the large window and the consultation room.

American College Dublin

Oscar Wilde House is today the home of the American College Dublin, a liberal arts university, specialising in creative writing and the performing arts. For further information, and our blog, featuring poetry and musical performances from inside these walls, log on to our website www.oscarwildehouse.com.

We hope you enjoy your visit. Please feel free to ask our friendly staff any questions that you may have.