Oswald Dupree was born of wealthy parents in the Deep South of Tennessee, a much wanted and loved child. That is until teenage years approached. He started to take an interest in the garments his mother wore, making suggestions for subtle alterations or differing colours – a bow here, a slash there, maybe lift the hem a little.

His parents became confused. Oswald was going to study medicine , become a distinquished doctor, find a cure for something or other and make them proud. But he was telling them he wanted to design frocks!! This just wouldn’t do. They would be the laughing stock of the Country Club. People would talk, which, of course they did.

They labelled Oswald strange, even gay and ridiculed his parents who refused to stand by him.Oswald, reeling under the insults began to doubt himself, began to believe the viscious rumours.

He ran away from home, unable to bear it any longer and to try to discover in which direction his future lay.

He seriously doubted his homosexuality but incessant taunts and comparisons with his elders had turned his world upside down. His family had provided no support for his plans, his love for fashion design, considering it an occupation beneath contempt. His self confidence took a nose dive, until he met like-minded people on his travels and labouriously step-by-step limbed the ladder of the garment world.

His face was in every magazine cover, his story in every newspaper. He was famous and recognised wherever he went. His family tried to contact him, fame winning them over. Two-faced hypocrites.

To escape the media frenzy, Oswald took himself to Ireland – to a little West Coast village named Ballymadoughtery. There to meet his fate and to resolve the conflict within him.