UN SITY 



THE ROYAL DUBLIN SOCIETY. 



179 



for, besides the encouragement to breed the best horses, from the honour 

 and gain ah'eady mentioned, there will be a sort of public entertainment for 

 one whole week, during which the Lord Lieutenant, the Lord Mayor of the 

 city, and the great officers, both civil and military, ought to keep open table 

 for all strangers. This will draw a confluence of people trom all parts of the 

 country. Many, perhaps, from the nearer parts of England may come, not 

 only as to a public kind of solemnity, but as to a great mart of the best 

 horses. This will enrich the city by the expense of such a concourse, and 

 the country by the sale of many norses mto England, and, m time, mto 

 foreign parts." 



These acute anticipations of more than two centuries ago have been more 

 than realized to-day. Not only from the " nearer parts of England," but 

 from nearly every country in Europe, and from America, visitors come to 

 enjoy the matchless display offered every August by the Horse Show of the 

 Royal Dublin Society. The first Show was held by the Society in July, 

 1868, when 368 horses were entered, and prizes were awarded to the value 

 of ;^470. The Show was held each year, up to 1880, at the Society's Agri- 

 cultural buildings in Kildare-street, on the site of the present Museum. In 

 consequence of the changes made in 1877, the present splendid premises 

 at Ball's Bridge was acquired, upon which a sum of nearly ^^^70,000 has been 

 expended. How the Show has since prospered is best shown by the fol- 

 lowing figures, which speak for themselves : — 



The Society also holds a Spring Show of Breeding Cattle, Implements, 

 etc., and a Winter Show for Fat Cattle, Poultry and Farm Produce. These 

 Shows, though not so popular as the Horse Show, are of greater agricultural 

 interest. They originated late in the eighteenth century, in the efforts of a 

 body known as the " Farming Society," which was carried on under the 



