312 A HISTORY OF 



erection of what is now known as the central hall and 

 offices for the sum of £11,690 had been concluded. 

 A much larger building had been suggested, but it was 

 decided " not to include anything that the lengthened 

 experience of the Committee of Agriculture had not 

 shown to be requisite,'* so as to keep within the 

 limits of the sum of £25,000 received from the 

 Government as compensation for the removal of 

 the shows from Kildare street. Later in the year a 

 further contract was concluded for the removal of 

 the agricultural hall from Kildare street, and its re- 

 erection at Ballsbridge, at a cost of £3259. This is 

 the building now known as the south hall. It was 

 originally erected in Kildare street at a cost of about 

 £5000, most of which was subscribed by the members 

 and by the public, His Royal Highness the Prince 

 Consort subscribing £50. The hall was used for the 

 first time at the spring cattle show held in 1858. The 

 gallery which formed part of the hall in Kildare street 

 is now the gallery of the central hall, Ballsbridge. 



The first show held in the new premises at Balls- 

 bridge was the spring show of April 19-22, 1881. 

 The receipts of this show amounted to £1705, as 

 compared with £1132 at the last show in Kildare 

 street. A horse show followed in the autumn of the 

 same year, it being held on August 30th and 31st and 

 September 1st and 2nd. At this show the entries 

 numbered 589. There was an attendance of 15,736 

 persons, and the receipts exceeded the expenditure by 

 £816. The corresponding figures at the last show 

 in Kildare street were — entries, 600; credit balance, 

 £500. The attendance, unfortunately, is not on 

 record; that for a three-day show held in 1879 was 

 9698 ; there was no show in 1878. The last four-day 

 horse show in Kildare street at which the attendance 



