Royal Dublin Society
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| Abbreviation | RDS |
|---|---|
| Motto | Nostri plena laboris (Latin Our work bears fruit) |
| Founded | June 25, 1731 (The Dublin Society) 1820 (The Royal Dublin Society) |
| Location |
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| Origins | The Dublin Society |
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Area served
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Ireland |
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Key people
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President: Ms Bernie Brennan |
| Mission | To see Ireland thrive culturally and economically |
| Website | rds |
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Formerly called
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The Dublin Society |
The Royal Dublin Society (RDS) is the name given in 1820 to a philanthropic organisation which was founded as the 'Dublin Society' on 25 June 1731 to see Ireland thrive culturally and economically. The RDS is synonymous with its campus in Ballsbridge in Dublin, Ireland. This campus includes the "RDS Arena", "RDS Simmonscourt", "RDS Main Hall" and other venues which are used regularly for exhibitions, concerts and sporting events, including regular use by the Leinster Rugby team.
The society was originally founded by members of the Dublin Philosophical Society, chiefly Thomas Prior and Samuel Madden, as the 'Dublin Society for improving Husbandry, Manufactures and other Useful Arts'. On 8 July 1731 – a couple of weeks after initial foundation – the designation 'and Sciences' was added to the end of its name.
The stated aim of the "Dublin Society" was to promote the development of arts, agriculture, industry and science in Ireland and in 1792 the Society purchased the Leskean Cabinet to further this ambition. The "Royal" prefix was adopted in 1820 when George IV became Society patron.
The society purchased Leinster House, home of the Duke of Leinster, in 1815 and founded a natural history museum there. The society acquired its current premises at Ballsbridge in 1879, and has since increased from the original fifteen to forty acres (60,000 to 160,000 m²). The premises consist of a number of exhibition halls (at the "RDS Main Hall"), a stadium (the "RDS Arena"), meeting rooms, bars, restaurants, and a multi purpose venue named "RDS Simmonscourt Pavilion".
The RDS Main Hall is a major centre for exhibitions, concerts and other cultural events in Dublin. It hosts, for example, the Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition each January.
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Wikipedia