'With freedom, flowers, books, and the moon, who could not be perfectly happy ?'

- Oscar Wilde

One of Ireland's leading contemporary artists, and Oscar Wilde House artist-in-residence, Gerard Byrne has donated his painting - Wilde Sunflowers - to the fundraising drive for the ongoing preservation of Oscar’s childhood home. The house at Number One Merrion Square North Dublin, where the Wildes lived for 24 years, was constructed in 1760 so it requires constant maintenance. Number One makes a strong architectural and aesthetic contribution to the early character of Merrion Square. Laid out as part of the Fitzwilliam Estate, Merrion Square is one of the best-preserved Georgian streetscapes in Ireland. Outside 1 Merrion Square was where James Joyce (1882 - 1941) and Nora Barnacle (1884 - 1951) met for their first date – a moment was later immortalised in Joyce's Ulysses (1922).

One part of the house that needs rejuvenation is the annex – the extension that Oscar’s father, the eye and ear surgeon Sir William Wilde, added in 1861, six years after the family moved in when their son, Oscar, was an infant. The annex comprises of Sir William’s former consultation room, a gallery and a balconied first floor orangery. Due to the age of the building it requires constant repairs and restoration.

The Orangery at the Oscar Wilde House Annex - to be restored, phot. Marc O'Sullivan

Gerard painted Wilde Sunflowers from located on the first floor The Speranza Room overlooking Merrion Square Park and the National Gallery of Ireland, during Oscariana: A Wilde Dublin Festival – Wilde’s annual birthday weekend celebrations which were held last month. Oscar and sunflowers are a valid conjunction because perhaps no writer in history has been associated with a single flower as closely as Oscar Wilde was associated with the sunflower in 1882, when he visited the flower’s native America for the entire year.

For the duration of this fundraiser, until 8th February 2024, the painting will be on display at the Gerard Byrne Studio, 15 Chelmsford Road, Ranelagh, Dublin 6 - creative studio and art gallery exclusively dedicated to Byrne’s work. All welcome to view the grand prize in person.

KEY DATES:

Closing date for tickets sale:

Thursday 8th February 2024, 23:00 GMT

Prize Draw & Winner Announcement:

Friday 9th February 2024

Number of Tickets	Price
1	€10
5	€25
15	€50
35	€100
50	€500
100	€1,000
200	€2,000

Number of Tickets	Price
1	€10
5	€25
15	€50
35	€100
50	€500
100	€1,000
200	€2,000

Gerard Byrne Painting Draw for Oscar Wilde House Restoration

In aid of Restoration of Oscar Wilde House Annex.

Photos

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