Statue of Oscar Wilde in Dublin's Merrion Square (Archbishop Ryan Park).

Merrion Square (Cearnóg Mhuirfean in Irish) is situated on the south side of Dublin city centre and is considered one of the city's finest Georgian squares. Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. Dublin (ˈdʌblɨn/ /ˈdʊblɨn or /ˈdʊbəlɪn/, bˠalʲə aːha klʲiəh or cliə(ɸ is both the largest city and capital of Ireland. Georgian architecture is the name given in most English -speaking countries to the set of Architectural styles current between 1720 and 1840 The square was laid out after 1762 and was largely complete by the beginning of the 19th century. Year 1762 ( MDCCLXII) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year

Several notable buildings face on to the square, including Leinster House (seat of the Irish parliament), the Natural History building of the National Museum of Ireland, the National Maternity Hospital and the National Gallery of Ireland. Leinster House (Teach Laighean is the name of the building housing the national parliament of the Republic of Ireland (Oireachtas Éireann The Oireachtas (ɛrʲaxt̪ˠasˠ is the "national parliament" or Legislature of Ireland, sometimes referred to as Oireachtas Éireann. The National Museum of Ireland (Ard-Mhúsaem na hÉireann is the National museum in Ireland. The National Gallery of Ireland (Ghailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann houses the Irish national collection of Irish and European art. The Irish Red Cross and the Football Association of Ireland have their headquarters on the square. The Irish Red Cross (Crois Dhearg na hÉireann is the national Red Cross society in the Republic of Ireland. The Football Association of Ireland ( FAI; Irish: Cumann Peile na h-Éireann) is the governing body for the sport of association football (soccer

The park in the square is now known as "Archbishop Ryan Park". Dermot J Ryan ( June 26 1924 - Feb 21 1985) was the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Dublin from 1972 until 1984 The square was leased to the Catholic Archdiocese of Dublin by the Pembroke Estate in 1930 to permit the building of a Cathedral on the site. Despite efforts over the next 20 years to advance the project, no progress was made and the site was transferred to the city of Dublin in 1974. Now managed by Dublin City Council, it contains a statue of Oscar Wilde, who resided in No 1, Merrion Square from 1855 to 1876, many other sculptures and a collection of old Dublin lamp standards. Dublin City Council (Comhairle Cathrach Bhaile Átha Cliath refers to two different entities Oscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 1854 – 30 November 1900 was an Irish Playwright, Novelist, poet and Author of

Until about 50 years ago, the houses in the square were largely residential, but today most of them are used for office accommodation.

The poet W. B. Yeats lived at No 82 Merrion Square (tours are free if you inquire within), and Daniel O'Connell, Catholic emancipator of Ireland, called "The Liberator," resided at 58 Merrion Square (now home to the Keough-Naughton Notre Dame Centre). Daniel O'Connell ( 6 August 1775 &ndash 15 May 1847) ( Dónal Ó Conaill) known as The Liberator, or The Emancipator A number of houses in the square have plaques with historical information on former notable residents, including A. E. (George William Russell) and Sheridan Le Fanu. George William Russell ( April 10, 1867 &ndash July 17, 1935) who wrote under the Pseudonym Æ (sometimes Joseph Thomas Sheridan Le Fanu (28 August 1814 &ndash 7 February 1873 was an Irish writer of Gothic tales and mystery novels

External links

• Media related to Merrion Square from the Wikimedia Commons.