"I have nothing to declare..... but my genius"

Statue of the famous Irish writer Oscar Wilde (1854-1900) on the corner of Merrion Square Park, opposite his childhood home at 1 Merrion Square, which is currently occupied by the American College.

Surrounded by Georgian houses, Merrion Square is one of the most beautiful parts of Dublin. If you want to know how Georgian houses looked like, the one located at 29 Lower Fitzwilliam Street (Dublin 2) has been restored to its original shape and it is open to the public.

At the weekends, local artists exhibit their works on the railings of Merrion Park.

National Gallery

The National Gallery of Ireland opened in 1864 and currently holds over 2.500 paintings and over 10.000 other works including sculptures and drawings.

Impressive collection of paintings of the masters, including works of Caravaggio, Vermeer, Picasso, Velázquez, Turner and many many more. There is also an excellent and comprehensive display of the Irish artists, including Jack B Yeats (brother to nobel prize winning W B Yeats) and William Orpen.

There are two entraces, one on Clare St., which leads to the new Millenium Wing and the second one on Merrion Square. Opening hours: Mon to Sat 9:30 to 17:30, Thursday 9:30 to 20:30 and Sunday from 12 to 17:30.

Free admission