3 2o A HISTORY OF 



hoped that Irish manufacturers will remember that the 

 markets of England are open to them, and that a 

 British and foreign trade is better worth cultivating 

 than one depending upon the very limited demands of 

 our own small population. 



The Society had organised an exhibit of the in- 

 dustries of Dublin at the Paris Exhibition of 1855, but 

 the Irish section at the Manchester Exhibition was the 

 first general display of the products of the industries 

 of Ireland ever shown as a distinct section at any 

 exhibition held out of Ireland. 



The Art Industries Exhibition 



In the year 1888, the Council approved a scheme 

 for holding an exhibition of lace during the annual 

 horse show, and voted a sum of ^50 to be awarded in 

 prizes. Next year the amount was increased to £75, 

 when seventy exhibits, value X376, were submitted 

 for competition. 



In 1890 the scope of the exhibition was enlarged, 

 sections for embroidery and for designs were added, 

 and for the first time wood carving was included. 

 The exhibition continued to progress until the space 

 allotted to it became inconveniently overcrowded, and 

 it became evident that increased space must be pro- 

 vided. The present art industries hall was erected 

 in 1903-4 at a cost of ^7000, part of which was 

 provided by the grant paid to the Society by the Govern- 

 ment on the surrender of the administration of the 

 probate duties grant. 



On August the 23rd, 1904, the seventeenth art 

 industries exhibition was formally opened in the new 

 hall by the Earl of Dudley, then lord lieutenant, when 



