Merrion Square, Dublin

Originating in 1762, Merrion Square epitomizes the grandeur of Georgian urban design. Its elongated, elegant rows of red-brown brick buildings feature intricate doors, knockers, and fanlights, along with wrought-iron balconies added in the early 19th century and tall windows on the first floor, indicative of the main reception rooms. The initial construction took place on the north side of the square, showcasing a diverse range of architectural designs.
The spacious, well-maintained lawns within the square's gardens provide a tranquil retreat, offering a quieter alternative to Saint Stephen's Green and ideal conditions for picnics on sunny days. The gardens also host several notable statues and busts, including a bronze bust of revolutionary politician Michael Collins on the south side and a stone bust of Henry Grattan nearby. George Russell, the writer, artist, and mystic, is solemnly depicted near the southwest corner, close to his former residence at number 74.

However, the most striking and debated statue occupies the northwest corner, where Oscar Wilde reclines on a rock, gazing towards his childhood home at number 1 (now the American College Dublin), adopting a sardonic, relaxed posture that has earned the figure the moniker "the fag on the crag". Positioned in front of him are sculptures of a male torso and his wife Constance, bearing Wildean witticisms on their plinths. Additionally, the railings surrounding the gardens serve as an outdoor gallery where artists display their paintings for sale every Sunday (and some Saturdays, weather permitting).

The Merrion Square South terrace boasts the highest concentration of renowned former residents, offering a glimpse into the area's history: politician Daniel O'Connell purchased no. 58 in 1809; Nobel Prize-winning physicist Erwin Schrödinger resided at no. 65; Gothic novelist Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu passed away at no. 70, now home to the Arts Council; and W.B. Yeats lived at no. 82 from 1922 to 1928. Notably, number 39 once housed the British Embassy until it was destroyed by a crowd protesting the Bloody Sunday massacre in Derry in 1972.