The Royal Dublin Society

The Royal Dublin Society

One of the many entertaining things to do in Dublin is to visit the RDS on Merrion Road. The RDS is a philanthropic society that is over 280 years old. The society was established in 1731 to enhance the cultural and economic development of Ireland. The aims of the RDS focuses on encouraging developments in arts, agriculture, science and industry and it uses its venue and its members subscriptions to fund its activities.

Following these goals, the RDS developed the RDS Arena, which is a multi-purpose sports stadium. The Arena was originally developed to host equestrian events but soon became a multi-purpose stadium that now hosts a variety of sports and events. One of the most famous events the RDS hosts is the Dublin Horse Show which is held here every August. This Horse Show is one of the highlights of the summer in Dublin and has been held annually since 1864 except during the World War years. The show has come a long way since 1864 when ass and mule classes were included in the competition – today it has one of the largest prize pools for International Show Jumping in the world.

In addition to the Horse Shows, the RDS Arena is currently the official home of the Leinster Rugby team. The stadium currently has a capacity for 18,500 but there are plans in place to increase this to almost 25,000. The sports grounds have an incredible atmosphere and attending a Horse show or Rugby match at the RDS is an experience not to be missed while in Dublin.

Contact Details:

Address: Royal Dublin Society, Angelsea Road, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

Tel: +353 (0)1 668 0866

Getting There:

Hop off the CityScape Tour at: Stop 15 Merrion Road (see Route Map)