RDS Arena

About

RDS Arena is a multi-purpose sports stadium, owned by the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) and located in the Dublin suburb of Ballsbridge, Ireland. The arena was developed to host equestrian events, primarily the annual Dublin Horse Show, which was first held there in 1881. The site had been acquired in 1879 by the RDS. The primary tenants of the RDS Arena are Leinster Rugby who compete in the United Rugby Championship and Champions Cup. The arena has also hosted soccer and wrestling events and concerts. The capacity of the venue is 18,500 — 16,500 of which is seated — but it can accommodate over 40,000 for concerts. The demountable north and south stands are removed for equestrian events, with only the Grandstand and Anglesea Stand permanent. The Anglesea Stand was completed in 1927.

The grandstand was rebuilt in 2006 for the 2006–07 rugby season, to replace the old wooden stand when Leinster first became permanent tenants. Prior to this the RDS could accommodate 13,500 fans for Leinster Heineken cup fixtures. A roof was added during 2008–09. Starting in 2011 there were plans to redevelop the arena, replacing the Anglesea Stand with another new permanent stand, which would incorporate the only terraced area of the stadium.

In July 2014, it was announced by the RDS and Leinster Rugby that a design competition was being held to develop the arena into a 25,000 capacity world class stadium, with work expected to commence on the redevelopment in April 2016. The selling of naming rights to the arena was thought to be a key component in funding the project, with a budget of at least €20,000,000 being proposed. A consortium of architect firms, Dublin-based Newenham Mulligan Architects and London-based Grimshaw Architects, won the international design competition for the multimillion-euro redevelopment of the RDS Arena. However, the original planning permission granted in 2018, lapsed and a new application filed.

In September 2024 the RDS began the regeneration of its main arena. The project includes a new 6,775 capacity Anglesea Stand. The 20,600-seat arena will be completed by August 2026.

The RDS stadium first hosted a football match on 30 September 1990 when Shamrock Rovers used it as a home ground. For the next six seasons until April 1996, Rovers played their home games there. The stadium held its first international match on 19 February 1992 when it played host to a home game between Ireland and Wales national football team. The stadium hosted some games of the 1994 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championships including the third-place playoff and the final. The final of the FAI Cup was held at the RDS in 2007 and 2008 during the construction of the Aviva Stadium. The 2009 final, however, was moved to Tallaght Stadium. The RDS hosted a game between St Patrick's Athletic and Hertha Berlin in the 2008–09 UEFA Cup first round. St Patrick's Athletic also played Steaua București in the Arena on 27 August 2009 in the Europa League. The RDS Arena hosted the Ireland team when they played Paraguay and Algeria in May 2010.

The RDS Arena was originally constructed to host show-jumping events, the Dublin Horse Show having been held by the RDS annually since 1864. In 1881 the Show moved to 'Ball's Bridge', a greenfield site. The first continuous 'leaping' course was introduced at the Show. In the same year the first viewing stand was erected on the site of the present grandstand. It held 800 people.

In 1925, Colonel Zeigler of the Swiss Army first suggested holding an international jumping event. The Aga Khan of the time heard of this proposal and offered a challenge trophy to the winner of the competition. In 1926, international competitions were introduced to the show and was the first time the Nations' Cup for the Aga Khan Challenge trophy was held. Up until 1949, the Nations' Cup teams had to consist of military officers. Six countries competed in the first international teams competition for the Aga Khan Challenge trophy – Great Britain, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Switzerland and Ireland. The Swiss team won the title on Irish bred horses.

In 1976, after 50 years of international competition, the two grass banks in the arena were removed so the arena could be used for other events. The continental bank at the western end of the main arena was added later.

The RDS also hosted the Show Jumping World Championships in 1982.

The stadium first opened its doors to rugby union on Saturday 15 October 2005, hosting a game between Leinster Rugby and the Cardiff Blues, which Leinster won 34–15, the arena hosted four further games that season. The following season, the RDS was not used by Leinster due to redevelopment.

The 2007–08 season saw the RDS become the official home of Leinster when the branch signed a 20-year lease on the ground, with all of the home games for the season to be hosted there. This change came about after it became apparent that the team's former home of Donnybrook Stadium no longer had a sufficient capacity. After renovation and expansion, the Grandstand and North and South Stands were expanded, boosting the capacity to 18,500 along with floodlights being installed and a new playing surface being laid, to withstand the demands of a full rugby season and show jumping events.

The RDS had proven to be a successful hunting ground for Leinster, [ tone ] as they won 11 of their 12 home games that season, culminating on Saturday 3 May 2008 in a 41–8 victory over Newport Gwent Dragons and lifting the Celtic League trophy that day. In all, Leinster had played 18 games in the RDS, losing only twice, to Bath and Scarlets. Between March 2008 and 2010, the final of the Leinster Schools Senior Cup was played in the RDS due to the redevelopment of Lansdowne Road, its traditional venue.

The RDS hosted the autumn rugby international between Ireland and Fiji on 21 November 2009, with Ireland running out convincing winners 41–6. The stadium also hosted the 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2021 Pro12 and Pro14 Grand Finals and the 2013 Challenge Cup Final between Leinster and Stade Français, which saw a sell-out crowd of 20,396 people. On 26 March 2022, the RDS hosted 6,113 fans for the opening round of the 2022 Women's Six Nations Championship, a record attendance for an Irish women's international test match.

Inside the RDS Arena prior to a Leinster Game

In August 1995, Ireland won their first ever home rugby league match against Scotland at the RDS Arena, as a curtain raiser to the charity shield match between Leeds Rhinos and Wigan Warriors. The matches were played before an attendance of 5,716, a record for an international rugby league match on Irish soil.

The Arena hosted a WWE event on 18 June 2005, part of the WWE Summerbash Tour, which featured Kurt Angle, Eddie Guerrero, Rey Mysterio, John Cena and Stone Cold Steve Austin.

The RDS stadium first hosted a football match on 30 September 1990 when Shamrock Rovers used it as a home ground. For the next six seasons until April 1996, Rovers played their home games there. The stadium held its first international match on 19 February 1992 when it played host to a home game between Ireland and Wales national football team. The stadium hosted some games of the 1994 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championships including the third-place playoff and the final. The final of the FAI Cup was held at the RDS in 2007 and 2008 during the construction of the Aviva Stadium. The 2009 final, however, was moved to Tallaght Stadium. The RDS hosted a game between St Patrick's Athletic and Hertha Berlin in the 2008–09 UEFA Cup first round. St Patrick's Athletic also played Steaua București in the Arena on 27 August 2009 in the Europa League. The RDS Arena hosted the Ireland team when they played Paraguay and Algeria in May 2010.

The RDS Arena was originally constructed to host show-jumping events, the Dublin Horse Show having been held by the RDS annually since 1864. In 1881 the Show moved to 'Ball's Bridge', a greenfield site. The first continuous 'leaping' course was introduced at the Show. In the same year the first viewing stand was erected on the site of the present grandstand. It held 800 people.

In 1925, Colonel Zeigler of the Swiss Army first suggested holding an international jumping event. The Aga Khan of the time heard of this proposal and offered a challenge trophy to the winner of the competition. In 1926, international competitions were introduced to the show and was the first time the Nations' Cup for the Aga Khan Challenge trophy was held. Up until 1949, the Nations' Cup teams had to consist of military officers. Six countries competed in the first international teams competition for the Aga Khan Challenge trophy – Great Britain, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Switzerland and Ireland. The Swiss team won the title on Irish bred horses.

In 1976, after 50 years of international competition, the two grass banks in the arena were removed so the arena could be used for other events. The continental bank at the western end of the main arena was added later.