RDS Arena
Encyclopedia
RDS Arena is a multi-purpose sports stadium, owned by the Royal Dublin Society
and located in the Dublin suburb of Ballsbridge
, Ireland
.
The arena was originally developed to host equestrian events, including the annual Dublin Horse Show, which was first held there in 1868. The site was acquired in 1879 by the RDS
. The primary tenants of the RDS are Leinster Rugby
who compete in the Celtic League
and Heineken Cup
. The Arena has also hosted football, tennis and wrestling events as well as concerts. The arena has a capacity of 18,500, 16,500 of which is seated.
The North and South stands at the ground are removed for equestrian events, with only the Grandstand and Angelsea Stand permanent. The Grandstand was rebuild in 2006 for the 2006-07 rugby season, to replace the old wooden stand when Leinster first became permanent tenants. A roof was added for the 2008-09 season. There are plans to replace the Angelsea Stand with another new permanent stand, which would incorporate the only terraced area of the stadium.
and Wales national football team
. The stadium hosted some games of the 1994 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship
s 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 Bucureşti 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.
in 1982.
on Saturday 15 October 2005, hosting a game between Leinster Rugby
and the Cardiff Blues
, which Leinster won 34 – 15, the arena hosted 4 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 very successful hunting ground for Leinster, 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.
During the 2008–09 season Leinster hosted their defence of the Celtic League trophy and the European Heineken Cup
campaign. This saw Leinster defeat English champions London Wasps
, Castres
of France and Edinburgh
, before marching on to become champions of Europe for the first time.
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. Ireland were convincing winners on the day.
The stadium hosted the 2009–10 Celtic League Grand Final on 29 May 2010, the competitions first.
played in the World Group
of the Davis Cup
for the only time. The match against a United States team including John McEnroe
was played in the RDS rather than the usual venue, Fitzwilliam, to accommodate crowds of 6,000 each day.
, Eddie Guerrero
, Rey Mysterio, John Cena
and Stone Cold Steve Austin
.
played at the arena in 1999 and once again in their reunion in 2008.
Bruce Springsteen
has played there six times since 1988, during "The Rising Tour
" in 2003, during the "Magic Tour
" in May 2008 and during the "Working on a Dream Tour
" in July 2009. He will once again return to the RDS Arena on July 17 & 18, 2012.
Bon Jovi
have played the venue many times. They played over two nights in June 2011 to over 80,000 people.
Radiohead
played to 38,000 people, on June 20, 1997, which was their highest attended performance at the time.
Paul McCartney
played there on his "Up and Coming Tour
" on June 12, 2010 and was host to him, due to a fireworks display that couldn't be done in an indoor arena, such as the O2 Arena, which hosted his "Good Evening Europe Tour
" on December 22, 2009.
U2
played here on August 27 and 28, 1993 as conclusion to the Zooropa tour, the European stadium leg of the ZooTV tour
which supported the album Achtung Baby
. The second show was broadcast internationally on the radio, being 15–20 minutes delayed, reportedly due to the band's generosity to the playtime of their opening bands (Scary Eire and Stereo MC's). During the opening number Zoo Station
on this night, Bono
altered a lyric to say "Hey child, it's alright, sleeping in my own bed tonight".
Royal Dublin Society
The Royal Dublin Society was founded on 25 June 1731 to "to promote and develop agriculture, arts, industry, and science in Ireland". The RDS is synonymous with its main premises in Ballsbridge in Dublin, Ireland...
and located in the Dublin suburb of Ballsbridge
Ballsbridge
Ballsbridge is a suburb of Dublin, Ireland, named for the bridge spanning the River Dodder on the south side of the city. The sign on the bridge still proclaims it as "Ball's Bridge" in recognition of the fact that the original bridge in this location was built and owned by a Mr...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
.
The arena was originally developed to host equestrian events, including the annual Dublin Horse Show, which was first held there in 1868. The site was acquired in 1879 by the RDS
Royal Dublin Society
The Royal Dublin Society was founded on 25 June 1731 to "to promote and develop agriculture, arts, industry, and science in Ireland". The RDS is synonymous with its main premises in Ballsbridge in Dublin, Ireland...
. The primary tenants of the RDS are Leinster Rugby
Leinster Rugby
Leinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
who compete in the Celtic League
Celtic League (rugby union)
The Celtic League is an annual rugby union competition involving professional sides from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
and Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
. The Arena has also hosted football, tennis and wrestling events as well as concerts. The arena has a capacity of 18,500, 16,500 of which is seated.
The North and South stands at the ground are removed for equestrian events, with only the Grandstand and Angelsea Stand permanent. The Grandstand was rebuild in 2006 for the 2006-07 rugby season, to replace the old wooden stand when Leinster first became permanent tenants. A roof was added for the 2008-09 season. There are plans to replace the Angelsea Stand with another new permanent stand, which would incorporate the only terraced area of the stadium.
Association Football
The Stadium first hosted a football game 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 IrelandRepublic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
and Wales national football team
Wales national football team
The Wales national football team represents Wales in international football. It is controlled by the Football Association of Wales , the governing body for football in Wales, and the third oldest national football association in the world. The team have only qualified for a major international...
. The stadium hosted some games of the 1994 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship
1994 UEFA European Under-16 Football Championship
-----Group B:---------------------Group C:---------------------Group D:---------------------Quarterfinals:-------------Semifinals:-----Third Place Playoff:-Final:-References:**...
s including the third-place playoff and the final. The final of the FAI Cup
FAI Cup
The Football Association of Ireland Challenge Cup, known as the FAI Ford Cup for sponsorship reasons, is a knock-out association football competition contested annually by teams from the Republic of Ireland...
was held at the RDS in 2007 and 2008 during the construction of the Aviva Stadium
Aviva Stadium
The Aviva Stadium is a sports stadium located in Dublin, Ireland, with a capacity for 50,000 spectators. The stadium is built on the site of the old Lansdowne Road venue, which was demolished in 2007, and replaces that stadium as home to its chief tenants: the Irish rugby union team and the...
. The 2009 final, however, was moved to Tallaght Stadium
Tallaght Stadium
Tallaght Stadium is a football stadium in the Southside suburb of Tallaght, Dublin. Shamrock Rovers originally announced details of the stadium back in July 1996...
. The RDS hosted a game between St Patrick's Athletic
St Patrick's Athletic F.C.
St Patrick's Athletic Football Club is a football club from Dublin, Ireland. They compete in the League of Ireland Premier Division. Founded in 1929, they are based in the Dublin suburb of Inchicore and play their home matches at Richmond Park. They have won the League of Ireland title 7 times and...
and Hertha Berlin in the 2008–09 UEFA Cup First round. St Patrick's Athletic also played Steaua Bucureşti in the Arena on 27 August 2009 in the Europa League. The RDS Arena hosted the Ireland
Republic of Ireland national football team
The Republic of Ireland national football team represents Ireland in association football. It is run by the Football Association of Ireland and currently plays home fixtures at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, which opened in May 2010....
team when they played Paraguay and Algeria in May 2010.
Horse Riding
The Arena was originally constructed to host Horse-Riding events, the Dublin Horse Show has been held at the RDS annually since 1868. The RDS also hosted the Show Jumping World ChampionshipsShow Jumping World Championships
The Show Jumping World Championships, or the show jumping competition at the FEI World Equestrian Games, was started in 1953, with individual competition. In 1978 Team competitions began, and men and women began competing against one another. From 1990, show jumping was brought together along with...
in 1982.
Rugby union
The stadium first opened its doors to rugby unionRugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
on Saturday 15 October 2005, hosting a game between Leinster Rugby
Leinster Rugby
Leinster Rugby, usually referred to simply as Leinster, is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Dublin, representing the Irish province of Leinster, that competes in the RaboDirect Pro 12 and also competes in the Heineken Cup...
and the Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues
Cardiff Blues are one of the four professional Welsh regional rugby union teams. Based in Cardiff, the capital of Wales, the team have played at Cardiff City Stadium since the start of the 2009/2010 season and are owned by Cardiff Rugby Football Club....
, which Leinster won 34 – 15, the arena hosted 4 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 very successful hunting ground for Leinster, 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
Newport Gwent Dragons
Newport Gwent Dragons are one of the four professional Rugby Union regional teams in Wales. They are jointly owned by Newport RFC and the Welsh Rugby Union and play all their home games at Rodney Parade, Newport. They play in the RaboDirect Pro12, the Anglo-Welsh Cup and the Heineken Cup...
and lifting the Celtic League
Celtic League (rugby union)
The Celtic League is an annual rugby union competition involving professional sides from Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
trophy that day. In all, Leinster had played 18 games in the RDS, losing only twice, to Bath
Bath Rugby
Bath Rugby is an English professional rugby union club that is based in the city of Bath. They play in the Aviva Premiership league...
and Scarlets.
During the 2008–09 season Leinster hosted their defence of the Celtic League trophy and the European Heineken Cup
Heineken Cup
The Heineken Cup is one of two annual rugby union competitions organised by European Rugby Cup involving leading club, regional and provincial teams from the six International Rugby Board countries in Europe whose national teams compete in the Six Nations Championship: England, France, Ireland,...
campaign. This saw Leinster defeat English champions London Wasps
London Wasps
London Wasps is an English professional rugby union team. The men's first team, which forms London Wasps, was derived from Wasps Football Club who were formed in 1867 at the now defunct Eton and Middlesex Tavern in North London, at the turn of professionalism in 1999...
, Castres
Castres
Castres is a commune, and arrondissement capital in the Tarn department and Midi-Pyrénées region in southern France. It lies in the former French province of Languedoc....
of France and Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, before marching on to become champions of Europe for the first time.
Between March 2008 and 2010, the final of the Leinster Schools Senior Cup
Leinster Schools Senior Cup
The Leinster Schools Senior Challenge Cup is the premier rugby union competition for secondary schools affiliated to the Leinster Branch of the IRFU. First held in 1887, the Cup celebrated its 120th anniversary in 2007....
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. Ireland were convincing winners on the day.
The stadium hosted the 2009–10 Celtic League Grand Final on 29 May 2010, the competitions first.
Tennis
In 1983, the Ireland teamIreland Davis Cup team
The Ireland Davis Cup team represents the whole of Ireland in Davis Cup tennis competition and are governed by Tennis Ireland. Ireland competed in its first Davis Cup in 1923.Ireland currently compete in the Europe/Africa Zone of Group II...
played in the World Group
Davis Cup structure
The Davis Cup tennis competition is structured around a number of groups, with promotion and relegation between them.At the top is the World Group, which competes in a knockout competition. Below that it becomes regional, with an American Zone, Euro/African Zone and Asia/Oceania Zone. Each of these...
of the Davis Cup
Davis Cup
The Davis Cup is the premier international team event in men's tennis. It is run by the International Tennis Federation and is contested between teams of players from competing countries in a knock-out format. The competition began in 1900 as a challenge between Britain and the United States. By...
for the only time. The match against a United States team including John McEnroe
John McEnroe
John Patrick McEnroe, Jr. is a former world no. 1 professional tennis player from the United States. During his career, he won seven Grand Slam singles titles , nine Grand Slam men's doubles titles, and one Grand Slam mixed doubles title...
was played in the RDS rather than the usual venue, Fitzwilliam, to accommodate crowds of 6,000 each day.
Wrestling
The Arena hosted a WWE event which featured Kurt AngleKurt Angle
Kurt Steven Angle is an American professional wrestler, amateur wrestler, and 1996 Olympic gold medalist. He is currently under contract with Total Nonstop Action Wrestling, where he is recognized as a 15-time World Heavyweight Champion...
, Eddie Guerrero
Eddie Guerrero
Eduardo Gory "Eddie" Guerrero was a Mexican-American professional wrestler born into the Guerrero wrestling family. He wrestled in Mexico and Japan for several major professional wrestling promotions...
, Rey Mysterio, John Cena
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena is an American professional wrestler, actor, rapper, and television personality. He is currently signed to WWE as a member of its WWE Raw brand....
and Stone Cold Steve Austin
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Steve Austin , better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American film and television actor and retired professional wrestler...
.
Concerts
BoyzoneBoyzone
Boyzone are an Irish boy band comprising Keith Duffy, Mikey Graham, Ronan Keating,Shane Lynch, and formerly Stephen Gately. Boyzone have 19 singles in the top 40 UK charts and 21 singles in the Ire charts. The group currently have 6 UK number one singles and 9 number one singles in Ireland with 12...
played at the arena in 1999 and once again in their reunion in 2008.
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Springsteen
Bruce Frederick Joseph Springsteen , nicknamed "The Boss," is an American singer-songwriter who records and tours with the E Street Band...
has played there six times since 1988, during "The Rising Tour
The Rising Tour
The Rising Tour was a lengthy, worldwide, top-grossing concert tour featuring Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band that took place in arenas and stadiums over 2002 and 2003...
" in 2003, during the "Magic Tour
Magic Tour (Bruce Springsteen)
The Magic Tour was Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's 2007–2008 concert tour of North America and Western Europe.The tour began October 2, 2007, in Hartford, Connecticut, and concluded August 30, 2008 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin...
" in May 2008 and during the "Working on a Dream Tour
Working on a Dream Tour
The Working on a Dream Tour was a concert tour by Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, which began in April 2009 and ended in November 2009...
" in July 2009. He will once again return to the RDS Arena on July 17 & 18, 2012.
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi
Bon Jovi is an American rock band from Sayreville, New Jersey. Formed in 1983, Bon Jovi consists of lead singer and namesake Jon Bon Jovi , guitarist Richie Sambora, keyboardist David Bryan, drummer Tico Torres, as well as current bassist Hugh McDonald...
have played the venue many times. They played over two nights in June 2011 to over 80,000 people.
Radiohead
Radiohead
Radiohead are an English rock band from Abingdon, Oxfordshire, formed in 1985. The band consists of Thom Yorke , Jonny Greenwood , Ed O'Brien , Colin Greenwood and Phil Selway .Radiohead released their debut single "Creep" in 1992...
played to 38,000 people, on June 20, 1997, which was their highest attended performance at the time.
Paul McCartney
Paul McCartney
Sir James Paul McCartney, MBE, Hon RAM, FRCM is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. Formerly of The Beatles and Wings , McCartney is listed in Guinness World Records as the "most successful musician and composer in popular music history", with 60 gold discs and sales of 100...
played there on his "Up and Coming Tour
Up and Coming Tour
The Up and Coming Tour is a concert tour by Paul McCartney. The tour began on March 28, 2010, at the Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Arizona , included two concerts at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles, California, following with concerts in Miami and San Juan, the latter marking McCartney's first...
" on June 12, 2010 and was host to him, due to a fireworks display that couldn't be done in an indoor arena, such as the O2 Arena, which hosted his "Good Evening Europe Tour
Good Evening Europe Tour
The Good Evening Europe Tour was a concert tour by Paul McCartney in Europe. The tour began on December 2, 2009, at the Color Line Arena in Hamburg, Germany, and concluded on December 22, 2009, at The O2 Arena in London....
" on December 22, 2009.
U2
U2
U2 are an Irish rock band from Dublin. Formed in 1976, the group consists of Bono , The Edge , Adam Clayton , and Larry Mullen, Jr. . U2's early sound was rooted in post-punk but eventually grew to incorporate influences from many genres of popular music...
played here on August 27 and 28, 1993 as conclusion to the Zooropa tour, the European stadium leg of the ZooTV tour
Zoo TV Tour
The Zoo TV Tour was a worldwide concert tour by rock band U2. Staged in support of their 1991 album Achtung Baby, the tour visited arenas and stadiums from 1992 through 1993...
which supported the album Achtung Baby
Achtung Baby
Achtung Baby is the seventh studio album by Irish rock band U2. It was produced by Daniel Lanois and Brian Eno, and was released on 19 November 1991 on Island Records. Stung by the criticism of their 1988 release Rattle and Hum, U2 shifted their musical direction to incorporate alternative...
. The second show was broadcast internationally on the radio, being 15–20 minutes delayed, reportedly due to the band's generosity to the playtime of their opening bands (Scary Eire and Stereo MC's). During the opening number Zoo Station
Zoo Station
"Zoo Station" is a song by the rock band U2. It is the opening track from their 1991 album Achtung Baby, a record on which the group reinvented themselves musically by incorporating influences from alternative rock, industrial, and electronic dance music...
on this night, Bono
Bono
Paul David Hewson , most commonly known by his stage name Bono , is an Irish singer, musician, and humanitarian best known for being the main vocalist of the Dublin-based rock band U2. Bono was born and raised in Dublin, Ireland, and attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School where he met his...
altered a lyric to say "Hey child, it's alright, sleeping in my own bed tonight".