Editing Merrion Square (section)

==Occupancy==
[[File:Oscar Wilde statue, Merrion Square 1998.jpg|thumb|[[Oscar Wilde Memorial Sculpture|Oscar Wilde Statue]]]]

Until about the 1950s, the houses in the square were largely residential, but today most of them are used for office accommodation. The [[Irish Red Cross]], the [[Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland]] and the [[Irish Georgian Society]] have their headquarters on the square. The [[National Maternity Hospital, Dublin|National Maternity Hospital]] is on the North terrace. 
 
The poet, novelist, and satirist [[Oscar Wilde]] lived at No. 1, poet [[W. B. Yeats]] lived at No. 82, and [[Daniel O'Connell]] at No. 58, the latter of which is now known as the O'Connell House, home to the Keough Naughton Centre<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ocallaghancollection.com/cities/things-to-do-in-dublin/merrion-square/|title=Merrion Square|date=9 April 2020|website=O'Callaghan Collection|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200409111103/https://www.ocallaghancollection.com/cities/things-to-do-in-dublin/merrion-square/|archive-date=2020-04-09|access-date=2020-04-09}}</ref> of the [[University of Notre Dame]], an American college.  The fashion and interior designer [[Sybil Connolly]] lived at No. 71.  A number of houses in the square have [[blue plaque|plaques with historical information]] on former notable residents, including A.E. ([[George William Russell]]) and [[Sheridan Le Fanu]]. Despite the square being largely occupied by commercial entities, there are still several residents, including fashion designer [[Louise Kennedy]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.herald.ie/news/designer-louise-kennedy-id-just-love-to-style-strong-elegant-angelina-31006699.html|title=Designer Louise Kennedy: 'I'd just love to style strong, elegant Angelina' – Herald.ie|website=herald.ie|access-date=23 April 2018}}</ref> and tycoon [[Dermot Desmond]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.irishtimes.com/culture/ghost-town-south-dublin-s-georgian-core-in-need-of-new-life-1.1757738|title=Ghost town: south Dublin's Georgian core in need of new life|website=irishtimes.com|access-date=23 April 2018}}</ref>

Until 1972 the [[Embassy of the United Kingdom, Dublin|British Embassy]] was based at No 39.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=EniCAAAAIAAJ&q=%2239+merrion+square%22 ''Ireland''], Eugene Fodor, Robert C. Fisher, D. McKay., 1968, page 92</ref> However, following the [[Bloody Sunday (1972)|Bloody Sunday]] shootings in [[Northern Ireland]], a crowd of over 20,000 people converged on the site in protest and the building was [[Burning of the British Embassy in Dublin|burnt to the ground]].<ref>{{cite news| url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/february/2/newsid_2758000/2758163.stm | work=BBC News | title=1972: British embassy in Dublin destroyed | date=2 February 1972}}</ref> Currently, the Embassies of France, South Korea and Slovakia are based on the south side of the square<ref>[http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/new-french-embassy-opens-in-merrion-square-georgian-townhouse-1.2187567 New French Embassy Opens in Merrion Square] – ''[[The Irish Times]]'', 24 April 2015</ref> and the Church of Scientology's National Affairs Office has been housed at No 4 on the north side since October 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.scientology.ie/national-office/|title=Official Church of Scientology Ireland website}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|last=Courtney|first=Daire|url=https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/church-of-scientology-to-open-national-affairs-office-in-merrion-square-35087161.html|title=Church of Scientology to open national affairs office in Merrion Square|date=28 Sep 2016|work=Irish Independent}}</ref>