RDS

The RDS Arena is a multi-purpose sports, event and music venue, owned by the Royal Dublin Society and located in the Dublin suburb of Ballsbridge, Ireland. Our Ballsbridge guesthouse is within walking distance of this world renowned arena.

In 1731, 14 Irishmen came together in Dublin united by a common aim – to improve the poor economic condition of the country by promoting agriculture, arts, industry and science in Ireland. This objective, they believed, could be achieved by the dissemination of knowledge and new ideas. And so, the Royal Dublin Society was born! The Society developed into an invaluable resource from which grew major national institutions including the National Botanic Gardens (1795), the Veterinary College (1800), the National Gallery of Ireland (1854), the National College of Art and Design (1877), the National Museum of Ireland (1877), the Natural History Museum (1877), the National Library of Ireland (1877) and the Radium Institute (1914).

The RDS arena itself was originally developed to host equestrian events, including the annual Dublin Horse Show, which was first held there in 1868. Today, it hosts a broad array of shows, exhibitions, sports events, and concerts.