Thread by @TheRDS

290 years old today! You didn’t know? Well, let’s explore nearly 300 years of Irish history through the eyes of what started in 1731 as the Dublin Society.

Ireland’s original enlightenment organisation. A thread...

The fourteen founders of the Dublin Society held their first meeting in the Old Library of @tcddublin (which wasn’t so old then). Their aim was to improve Ireland economically & culturally through the development of #agriculture, #art, industry & #science.

Agriculture was important from the beginning, with lectures on innovative farming methods & demonstrations of the latest equipment. An experimental farm examined crop management, pest control & new farming practices. A precursor to the Spring Show & ultimately to @teagasc

The Botanic Gardens in Glasnevin @opwireland were started by the Dublin Society in the early 1790s. Here the Society continued experimenting with crops and pest control. A botanist was hired to manage the Gardens and lectures were open to the public.

The Dublin Society also sponsored probably the largest planting scheme Ireland has ever undertaken. 50 million trees were planted under an incentive scheme (premiums). Many were used as intended, for timber, but some are still standing nearly 300 years later. @coilltenews

Dublin Society Drawing Schools gave free tuition in architecture, sculpture & painting. The Schools produced some of Ireland’s leading artists, as well as James Hoban, architect of the Whitehouse. Drawing Schools = Dublin Metropolitan School of Art, which then = @NCAD_Dublin

Science always a key RDS focus. When in Hawkins Street (the RDS moved around a lot early on), there were public lectures on chemistry & results of experiments were published. Later, the Society engaged Humphry Davy, Brian Cox of his day, to talk on new discoveries in electricity

Dublin Society had strong links with Grattan’s Parliament, with many members of both. 1800 Act of Union meant that DS came under increased scrutiny from London & state funding dried up. 'Royal' was added in 1820 to appeal to King George IV in the hope of more financial support

In 1815 Leinster House became the new home for the Society. Around the new RDS HQ, national cultural institutions were constructed: @NMIreland @NLIreland @NGIreland @DublinDeadZoo, with the RDS at the centre.

For decades the RDS was surrounded by slow-moving building sites.

It was in Leinster House, that the Spring Show was first developed. It ran for over 150 years and was the precursor of all the great agricultural shows that we enjoy today: @NPAIE @tullamoreshow @virginiashow

The @DublinHorseShow also started (1864) in the grounds of Leinster House (hard to believe!). Horses were a vital mode of transportation then & commonplace around Ireland. But both Horse & Spring Show quickly outgrew Kildare Street.

To accommodate them, a green field site in Ballsbridge was acquired. Which is where we are today.

Ballsbridge land purchase was made possible through £68k the RDS received for a transfer to the State of various possessions. RDS collections added to @NLIreland + @NMIreland. While other cultural items eventually became @NCAD_Dublin & National Botanic Gardens

In 1922 the Irish Free State Government approached the RDS for use of their lecture theatre as the new parliament building. In 1924 the RDS sold Leinster House to @OireachtasNews for £25,000 & Ballsbridge became home.

The history of the @rds_events runs parallel to the development of our Ballsbridge premises. The campus was used for sports days, cycling & motoring events, dog shows, and charitable bazaars in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.

Venue operations increased with the purchase of Simmonscourt in the 1950s & by the mid 1970s the RDS hosted a huge range of events. One of the most unique was the Atoms in Action Exhibition, which had a fully operational nuclear reactor. @rtearchives rte.ie/archives/2016/…

The revenue generated today by @rds_events feeds back directly into our Foundation work programme: rds.ie/rds-foundation Ensuring that the Society’s 290-year mission to help Ireland thrive culturally & economically continues into the future.