Sir William Wilde
1815-1876
Born in Castlerea,
County Roscommon. He was the father of Oscar. He was a talented man in the
medical, scientific, literary and archaeological fields. His works include
The Beauties of the Boyne and the Blackwater, Lough Corrib and Lough Mask,
The Epidemics of Ireland, The Closing Years of the Life of Dean Swift and
three volumes on the contents of the Royal Irish Academy Museum. He is
buried in Mount Jerome Cemetery, Dublin.
Isola Wilde is buried in
St John’s Church
of Ireland Cemetery, Edgeworthstown, County Longford. There is a mention
of this at the gate but it states her grave is not known. Oscar wrote a
poem called Requiescat in her memory. The first verse of the poem is the
one quoted on the monument above. He kept to his death an envelope
containing “My Isola’s Hair”.
Sir William Wilde also had a number of
illegitimate children before his marriage to ‘Speranza’. In November
1871 his two daughters Mary and Emily attended a ball at Drumaconnor in
County Monaghan. As the event was finishing, the host asked Emily to
dance. Her swirling skirt brushed against the open fire in the hearth and
caught fire. Her sister raced to her assistance and her dress too caught
fire. The host pushed them outside and rolled them in the snow. But it was
too late and they both died. His social position precluded Sir William
from attending the funeral. Sometime after it was over, he went to
Monaghan and his groans could be heard even outside the house. The girls were buried in the local Church of
Ireland graveyard.
Further information, location and directions to the
grave are to be found in "The End - An Illustrated Guide to the
Graves of Irish Writers". Click here
to order a copy of this book
