Oscar Wilde was born in Dublin and though he lived much of his life in exile he retain the essence of the city in his soul. For almost a century Wilde was Dublin's guilty secret, much loved but spoken of in hushed tones. He was not commemorated with streets named in his honour, he was not studied as part of the schools curriculum, and despite being an outlaw was never accorded patriot status. For many years the legacy of Wilde was preserved and promoted by an Englishman named Micheál MacMacLiamóir. MacMacLiamóir, cofounder of the famous Gate Theatre, was an openly gay man at a time when homosexuality was criminalised. He openly lived with his partner, English born theatre director, Hilton Edwards, was much loved and respected by ordinary Dubliners, perhaps as a recompense for the treatment by Britain of Oscar Wilde.
It took nearly a century after his passing, at the young age of 46yo, before a statue was erected, in a park opposite his family home. Even today the area is named Merrion Square rather than pay tribute to him and have it called Oscar Wilde Square.
As part of Dublin's inaugural Winter Pride, a walk to his statue took place following the conclusion of The Wilde Idea, a community event featuring a wide range of LGBTQ organisations. Tributes were paid to his human and creative greatness, a highlight of which was a reading from his work by Eoin McNamee, Director, Oscar Wilde centre. He shared with the group his reason for selecting that story as it contained the line "Love is greater than Life" - a sentiment that perfectly summed up the modus vivendi of Oscar Wilde.
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