Oscar Wilde’s love story and an exploration of the Victorian world feature in Episode 3 of Scéalta Grá na hÉireann airing this evening,  Wednesday 27th January. The new six-part factual series that examines some of the iconic relationships throughout the history of Ireland.

Discover a side of poet and playwright, Oscar Wilde, like you’ve never seen him before. With new colour photographs, the episode will explore Oscar Wilde’s love story with Bosie (Lord Alfred Douglas) through these stunning never before seen photographs of the pair.

Wilde was a family man, he was married to a wife and had two children. He was said to be a very loving and caring father to the two. Upon being introduced to Lord Alfred ‘Bosie’ Douglas Wilde’s desires and attentions were drawn to the London underground homosexual scene. Wilde fell deeply in love with ‘Bosie’ and indulged him in everything that he wanted be it material or sexual.

Being handsome and quite spoiled led to their relationship being destructive and tempestuous. Wilde’s infatuation with Bosie left him powerless. This love affair cost Wilde his family, his fame, his livelihood, and his health. His acts of homosexuality even cost Wilde a stint in Prison.

Senator David Norris had this to say about Bosie “Oscar Wilde was passionately in love with Bosie. Bosie encouraged his extravagance and pushed him towards spending, spending, spending. He was an absolute leech”

At the height of Wilde’s fame as a playwright and being the world’s first international celebrity led to troubles with ‘Bosie’s’ father Marquess of Queensbury. He was determined to ruin Wilde’s reputation.

Wilde died in a bedsit in Paris from Meningitis at the age of 46. His last words were said to be “My wallpaper and I are fighting a duel to the death. One or other of us has got to go.”

Scéalta Grá na hÉireann is a Bo Media Production for TG4, made with the support of the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland.