- The Geddes&Grosset Pocket Reference Digest series of Irish Biographies is a collection of fascinating glimpses into the lives of some of the remarkable characters who have given Ireland its rich cultural heritage. The Dublin-born dramatist, essayist, poet and novelist, Oscar Fingal O"Flahertie Wills Wilde (1854-1900) was as unconventional as he was brilliant. He became an advocate of the doctrine of art for art"s sake and courted controversy with his fl amboyant and decadent public image.