History of the Centre

The Oscar Wilde Centre for Irish Writing was opened in January 1998 as the teaching and research centre for both the long-standing M.Phil. in Irish Writing and the M.Phil. in Creative Writing.

The Centre was originally the home of the Wilde family and it was in the Westland Row house that the famous son of Sir William and Lady Wilde ('Speranza') was born on October 16th 1854. As a fitting tribute to one of Trinity College's best known students, the Oscar Wilde Centre will eventually house a library and reading room dedicated to his memory, along with a room dedicated to another great Irish scholar and writer, Vivian Mercier.

The Centre also houses the Visiting Writer's Office. At present the Writer Fellowship (established in 1986 in association with The Arts Council) is for Irish writers; in 2000 the International Writer Fellowship was inaugurated in association with the British Council. George Szirtes, the Anglo-Hungarian poet, spent three months living in the College as the first International Writer Fellow. Other International Writer Fellows to hold this position were Leone Ross 2001, Andrew O'Hagan 2002, Ian Duhig 2003, Carlo Gébler 2004, Courttia Newland 2005, E. A. Markham 2006.

Devoted to writing and research, the Oscar Wilde Centre's exclusive focus is on providing an academic yet lively environment for students of both M.Phil. graduate courses.

As an interface between college and community, the Oscar Wilde Centre plays a role in bringing the achievement and ambition of writers and scholars to the attention of a wider public at home and abroad.

Annual Report 2011-12

Oscar Wilde Centre
School of English
Trinity College Research Centres
Annual Report 2011-12
TCD Research Centre Annual Report