This week saw the recovery of a stolen golden ring given as a present by the renowned Irish writer Oscar Wilde to a fellow student in 1876. Taken almost 20 years ago from Magdalen College, Oxford, where Wilde studied, at the time the ring was valued at over 40,000 euro.

Oscar Wilde emerged onto our screens in Dublin on 16 October 1854. Growing up in privileged circumstances, he studied at Trinity College, Dublin before moving on to Oxford.

After university Wilde moved to London. His move there proved to be both the making and breaking of him.

His early years in London were hugely successful. He became known for his sharp wit and elegant clothes. In 1890 his only novel ‘The Picture Of Dorian Gray’ was published. However it was for his stage comedies that Wilde became a darling of London. ‘The Importance of Being Earnest’ is a brilliantly clever play.

And then, at the height of his fame, in 1895, Wilde decided to sue the Marquess of Queensbury for libel.

This proved to be a life changing decision.

Although married with children, Wilde was homosexual which, at the time in England, was illegal. Wilde’s lover was Lord Alfred Douglas, son of the Marquess of Queensbury, who did not approve of the liaison between Wilde and his son, and made his feelings known.

Wilde brought the Marquess to court, alleging defamation of character. He was confident of victory. Too confident. He had not reckoned on the skills of a certain Edward Carson, defence counsel for the Marquess. Carson would go on to become a prominent political leader. Both he and Wilde had studied at Trinity College, Dublin. It was a battle between two great minds. Ultimately it was Wilde’s arrogance that was his undoing at the trial. Carson emerged victorious. After three days the trial ended, charges dropped, with the implication that Wilde was, in fact, gay.

Subsequently Wilde himself was charged and convicted of ‘gross indecency’ and sentenced to two years of hard Labour. He served his sentence in London’s Pentonville Prison and Reading Gaol before being released in 1897.

Wilde’s health suffered during his prison years and continued to deteriorate after his release.

He spent the final three years of his life living in France where he published his last great work ‘The Ballad of Reading Gaol‘.

Oscar Wilde died in Paris on November 30, 1900, aged 46.

His work continues to be read today. His plays are still performed. He has stood the test of time.