Minerva December 2016

I N E RVA

Welcome to the December Minerva

editor Diarmuid hanifin

contributors

Susan Cox Dara O’leary

Katy Conneely Paul O’Grady

Michael Duffy Colm Quinn

Ann-Marie hardiman Joanna Quinn

Catherine Jordan Gerard Whelan

Design and Production

Sub-editing and layout think Media ltd t: 01 856 1166 www thinkmedia ie Print Impress Printing Distribution Sooner than later

ROyAl DUBlIN SOCIEty

Ballsbridge, Dublin 4

t: 01 668 0866 f: 01 660 4014 www rds ie

Minerva: minerva@rds ie General: info@rds ie RDS Membership: members@rds ie

Minerva, the magazine for Members of the Royal Dublin Society, is published tri-annually Any views expressed are not those necessarily held by the RDS or its Council No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed without prior written permission

Front cover: Curator of the 2016 RDS Visual Art Awards, renowned Irish artist Alice Maher, standing in front of one of the award-winning video installations in the Exhibition

At the Stated General Meeting of December 1, I had the honour of being elected President of the RDS, a position that I am privileged to hold for the next three years. I look forward to representing the Society, promoting its values and supporting the excellent work carried out by voluntary officers and RDS staff

Greater Member participation is something that I hope to encourage during my time as President the success and enduring appeal of the Society is built on the contributions of so many Members and their voluntary effort the benefits of the Strategy we implemented in 2011 have become steadily more evident as much of our philanthropic work has been developed, refreshed and increased in scale this is due to the considerable effort and energy of the Members who are involved in the Council, the Board of Management, the foundation Board, Committees and Working Groups, all working alongside RDS professional staff

An example of an area that benefited from this new approach is the visual arts. the RDS carried out a major review of the Student Art Awards and from that established the RDS Visual Art Awards the Awards became a stand-alone event and were timed to better suit graduating visual

artists there have been a number of other important changes, which you can read about on pages 8-10 this new approach has been very well received by the visual arts community and has had tangible benefit for the exhibitors.

I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible over my tenure and I hope that you and your families have a very happy Christmas in 2016

Bernie Brennan rDS PreSiDent DecemBer 2016

DePartment contactS arts (01) 240 7255 arts@rds ie equestrian (01) 240 7290 equestrian@rds ie Science & technology (01) 240 7289 science@rds ie agriculture & rural affairs (01) 240 7215 agriculture@rds ie membership (01) 240 7296 members@rds ie Library (01) 240 7254 librarydesk@rds ie editorial (01) 668 0866 members@rds ie industry & commerce (01) 240 7215 industry@rds ie

events RDS Rising Stars concert

classes Rare acquisition for the RDS library RDS Dublin horse Show 2017 tickets

RDS library and Archives Research Bursary

RDS library Speaker Series 6 interview New

Rising Stars shine at the RDS

Crowds assembled in the RDS Concer t hall on November 17 for the final Rising Stars concer t of 2016, where some of the finest new talent in Irish classical music was on stage.

Special guest

Violinist Patrick Rafter was the special guest on the night and gave a brilliant per formance Patrick was awarded the RDS Music Bursary in 2015, thanks to which he has been able to pursue tuition under the worldfamous Maxim Vengerov at the International Menuhin Music Academy, Switzerland this summer he was awarded first prize at the Valiant International Violin Competition, which should come as no surprise to anyone who saw him per form at the RDS Rising Stars Concert, when he electrified the room with his programme.

Patrick headlined a stellar lineup of talented young musicians

Creative expression

Ar tist and teacher Carole Shubotham wil l again share her extensive experience with fel low RD S Members when her ar t class es resume in 2017 Carole has exhibited her own wor k widely – wor k inspired by the s ea, the Burren and the human form

But in thes e class es, Carole hopes to help al l par ticipants

find their own inspiration to express their creative t alents. With Carole providing al l the necess ar y materials, al l you need to bring to thes e class es is your enthusiasm

Many ar t mediums wil l be covered ranging from watercolour, to oils, to pastels, to charcoal, to Indian inks and more besides. Class es t ake

place at 10. 00am on tues days beginning on februar y 14, 2017, and wil l continue for six weeks the cost is €175 for Members and €200 for guests Pleas e cont ac t Sus an Cox for fur ther information or to res er ve your place on 01-240 7296, or via email at members@rds.ie.

on the night, which for the first time included a chamber choir for per formers at their point of career development, stage time and recitals in front of live audiences are key to their progress, and that is exactly what the RDS Rising Stars concer ts set out to give them

fine per formers

RDS Rising Stars per formers on the night were: Killian White (cello), Ellen Jansson (piano), Seamus Wylie (clarinet), and the DIt Chamber Choir. the Concert was compéred by liz Nolan of lyric fM Positive feedback has continued from all per formers and music conservatoires on our annual Rising Stars concerts A steady and consistent audience is another positive, with many marking the concerts early in their calendars.

for more information, see www rds ie/risingstars

ARTISTIC EXPERIENCE

Rare acquisition for the RDS library

the RD S librar y recently added to its already unique col lec tion with the acquisition of an 18th centur y book on

agricultural innovation that has a signific ant RD S connec tion

Jethro tul l, an 18th centur y

agricultural inventor and pioneer, published his New Es s ays in Hor s e-ho eing Husb andr y in london in 1731, or to give it its ful l title: The Hor s e-Ho eing Husb andr y, or, an e s s ay on the principle s of tillage and vege t ation Wherein is shewn a me tho d of intro ducing a s or t of vineyard-culture int o the corn-fields , In order t o Increas e their Pro duc t , and diminish the common Exp ence; by the us e of ins tr ument s de s crib ed in cut s Dublin printer Aaron Rhames was commissioned by the then Dublin Society to produce a non-authoris ed version of the book in the s ame year, making it the earliest printed wor k ass ociated with the RD S

RDS Dublin horse Show 2017 tickets

ticket sales for the 2017 RDS Dublin horse Show open to Members on Monday, December 12, at 11 00am to book tickets please contact the Members’ Desk on 01-240 7296.

As an RDS Member, you may pre-book a complimentar y seated stand ticket within the RDS Main Arena on any of the five days of the Show, which next year will run from August 9-13

Please note the allocation of complimentar y tickets for Members is done on a first-

come, first-ser ved basis, so early booking is strongly advised Members may also book tickets for non-Member guests at the same time

Members who are due to renew their membership for 2017 may do so at the time of booking their complimentar y RDS

Dublin horse Show ticket

Alternatively, those due to renew can do so online, over the telephone on 01-240 7296

or by sending a direct debit mandate or cheque to RDS Membership, RDS, Ballsbridge, Dublin 4.

this copy is a fine example of the expanded s econd edition of the wor k, als o printed by Rhames and commissioned by the Dublin Society in 1733 It is an impor t ant acquisition for the RD S librar y & Archives, as our original copy was transferred to the National librar y of Ireland along with the rest of the RD S librar y’s holding s in 1877 It has another impor t ant connec tion with the RD S as the title page is ins cribed by the book’s former owner John Dubourdieu, Rec tor of Annahilt , who authored the St atistic al Sur veys of County Down and County Antrim, commissioned by the RD S in the early 19th centur y

JUMP THE QUEUE

Tickets for the RDS Dublin Horse Show 2017 go on sale to Members on December 12

library and Archives Research Bursary

REMARKABLE RESEARCH

2016 RDS Research Bursary recipient Dr Mícheál Ó Fathartaigh presented his research on Irish agricultural history at the recent RDS conference on the subject

In 2017, the RDS library and Archives Committee will award a research bursary of €10,000 to a postgraduate researcher, to engage in a research project examining the work of the RDS in the application of science and technology in Ireland over the last three centuries In the last two years, bursary recipients have completed research on the RDS Concert Archive and the RDS Agriculture Archive. the successful candidate will be expected to complete a research paper for presentation at a conference on the history of science in Ireland to be held at the RDS in 2017 they will also be expected to submit the paper for publication in an appropriate academic journal Researchers wishing to be considered should apply via email to librarydesk@rds ie, including: n a current academic CV (PDf document only); and, n a list of previous publications and/or a sample of academic writing (PDf document only).

the closing date for receipt of applications is Wednesday, January 18. further details are available on www rds ie/librarybursary

Remarkable transformations

In September 2016, the RDS library organised a conference on the history of Irish agriculture entitled ‘Remarkable transformations: Reassessing the history of Agriculture in Ireland’, where the recipient of the 2016 research bursary, Dr Mícheál Ó fathartaigh, presented his research. All presentations from the conference are available to view online at www.rds.ie/librarybursary.

Eclectic speakers

Six speakers visited the RD S this autumn to continue the evereclec tic RD S librar y Speaker Series Coinciding with an exhibition by the Royal hor ticultural Society of Ireland, Dr Charles Nels on was first up and took a det ailed look at the histor y of gardening s ocieties in Ireland and the wor k they were involved in that improved bot any studies here. Edmundo Murray fol lowed him in Oc tober examining the Irish in latin Americ a, the distinc t mar k they have made in thos e countries, both politic al ly and s ocial ly, and how they als o managed to ret ain their s ens e of Irishness Curator of the RD S Visual Ar t Awards Exhibition, Alice Maher spoke to coincide with the Exhibition Alice’s t al k was a fas cinating wal k through her wor k and her thinking behind each piece and phas e of her professional life

Beginning in November, there was another chance to relish the ess ays of huber t Butler when a dis cussion on the latest col lec tion of his wor k, Balkan Es s ays, took place as par t of the Dublin Book festival. Continuing a busy November, keynote international speakers contributed to a day-long event on a new system of banking Attendees heard of the Spar kass en model, which has been ver y successful in Germany, and may have potential for rural Ireland and Irish SMEs the penultimate speaker was award-winning filmmaker Ciarín Scott , who gave her insights on the ar t of making document aries Concluding this year ’s s eries was Megan O’Beirne, who spoke about the life and wor k of one of Ireland’s foremost exponents of traditional s culpture, Marjorie fitzGibbon.

BOTANICAL SPEAKER

Charles Nelson gave a talk on the history of gardening societies in Ireland as part of the RDS Library Speaker Series

Par t of who we are

Galway woman Bernie Brennan began her term as RDS President on December 1, and brings to the role a wealth of experience, and a lifelong association with the Society: "I first came to the horse Show and the Spring Show as a child, with my father and my brothers and sisters" Bernie cemented her association with the RDS by becoming a Member in 1998, and has been involved with equestrianism in the Society for many years (see panel on next page) She has also served on the Board of Management and the Council, most recently as Vice-President She admits to feeling somewhat daunted by the prospect of taking on the role of President, but she is not one to shy away from a challenge: "My father was a member of the RDS, so there was a tradition there, and he believed in the RDS ethos he used to say: 'When you enlist, you soldier' – you don't stand back, you get out there and you do it"

A society of Members

Bernie takes on the Presidency of a Society that is in better shape than ever, as the RDS Strategic Plan continues to bear fruit: "I love the way the Society is going at the moment the philanthropic side has taken on so much more significance and meaning. We are promoting that and we are engaging with people much more to promote the idea that we're not just a venue – the RDS is an idea, not just a place – and we contribute hugely to Irish society". these philanthropic projects are funded by RDS commercial operations and assisted by Members' subscription fees the Society is always seeking to attract new Members to help it to continue its work Bernie is keen to make the point that the RDS is an all-Ireland organisation and would particularly love to see more people joining from outside Dublin, although she acknowledges that the benefits of membership might not seem so obvious for this group: "Many will say it's not worth joining because they're not in Dublin often enough to use the facilities but I would say that even if that is the case, your membership fee is supporting the Society's philanthropic work and that we have invested over €2 million in these areas in 2016 alone We are a society of Members, not for Members, and I really believe that people should join to support the work of the Society"

Of course, Members give far more than simply their financial contribution Bernie is firmly of the belief that everyone has something to offer: "We need to renew our gene pool, our ideas Nothing stands still – whether it's the areas we work in or the way we do business We need people who are current and who have a contribution to make. for example, my own sphere of equestrianism has changed so much in the last 10 years. We're not just

showing ponies or horses at the horse Show. there's an objective, which is the same in all of our foundation areas – to pursue excellence and promote the best of everything that we have to offer in Ireland"

history of the RDS

One of the things Bernie is proudest of about the RDS is its historic role in establishing some of Ireland's most respected institutions: "Some of Ireland’s most recognised bodies – the Botanic Gardens, the National Gallery, the National Museum – were founded by the RDS and eventually handed over to the State. It's a fantastic legacy and we need to get that message out about what the RDS has done for Ireland and what it continues to do We need to ask people: 'Did you know ?' We need to promote ourselves"

the best of Ireland

On the day that we spoke, a fine example of the RDS philanthropic work progamme, the RDS Rising Stars Concert, was due to take place, featuring the winner of last year's RDS Music Bursary, violinist Patrick Rafter. Bernie is full of praise for the Bursary and the impact it has on the lives and careers of the young musicians who win it: " to identify this talent and to give the Bursary to enable them to go on and pursue their musical education further is a huge opportunity We've also changed the whole format of the RDS Visual Art Awards and the RDS Craft Awards from previous years, and the response has been phenomenal It's all about being relevant, and responding to what's happening in the world and in people's lives"

It's a similar story for equestrianism, with bursaries for young riders, and an ongoing commitment to helping the industry keep its place among the best in the world, aided in no small way of course by the world-class status of the RDS Dublin horse Show.

the RDS Primary Science fair is another example of a recent innovation, this time in the area of StEM, which is going from strength to strength In 2016 the fair took place in both Dublin and limerick, and next year it will expand yet again, this time to Belfast for Bernie, this is a tangible example of the Society reaching out beyond Dublin to have a real impact: "We put out a call to see if there was interest in hosting the fair in limerick and the response was hugely positive – we knew that we had a solid base of Munster participants already, but the limerick expansion led to far more schools overall getting involved".

these are huge undertakings for the RDS staff and volunteers, but as Bernie reminds us, change has to happen if the Society is to move with the times: "We've been here for nearly 300 years and we'll definitely be here in another 300, so we need to stay relevant" We talk about what the founders of the RDS would think of the Society today: "I think they would be pleased – we are true to our charters, and our original aims to pursue excellence and promote Irish agriculture, arts, science, industry and equestrianism Our work benefits the whole country" But this future depends on Members and their continued commitment: "We want Members from everywhere We don’t want somebody sitting up in Donegal who might be hugely valuable to the Society saying 'well, that's not for me' It's for everyone"

Something for everyone

New Members, or those considering joining, might be concerned by the idea of having to put themselves forward for Committee membership, or might not be sure how they can contribute beyond their subscription I ask Bernie what she would say to a new Member: "Come and meet us See what we have to offer there are so many social activities to take part in, such as the art classes, keep fit, or bridge Even if you don’t want to be on a Committee, come along and talk to the staff to see how you can get involved" this is something Bernie feels very passionate about: "We are not a regular Members' Club – we are an organisation that achieves something We need to tell people that we're here and what we're doing, and by we I mean we the Members. Come to our events. for example, the Rising Stars Concert is a fantastic occasion, and by attending, you not only have the experience of listening to wonderful music, you also help a young musician by giving them the opportunity to play to 600 or 700 people your philanthropy funds these activities and your attendance supports them"

Keeping it going

Bernie is very much looking forward to her three-year term of office, and is excited about a number of initiatives that will begin or continue during that time. Chief among these is the development of the Anglesea Stand: "We are

delighted to have been granted planning permission for this state-of-the-art stand that will enhance our commercial partners leinster Rugby and certainly the horse Show as well" the list of projects is too long to mention in detail during our interview – from important initiatives like climate-smart agriculture, and the increasingly popular business breakfasts, to the wonderful library Speaker Series – but they all have one thing in common: they reflect the commitment of the RDS to its philanthropic work programme: "We will continue to develop our foundation projects We will work to expand our membership base all over Ireland, to strengthen our philanthropic ties and see everything continue to evolve, with the increased participation of volunteer Members Over the past number of years I’ve had the opportunity to work closely with the staff across the organisation the Society is truly fortunate to have such talented, capable and industrious staff who work so effectively with voluntary officers across the whole of the RDS”. And her final message to those Members: "I know Minerva is going to be read by Members, but we want those Members to tell their neighbours and friends – to talk about the RDS Come and see what the Society has to offer and then see what you can offer to the Society

“When you start talking about it and thinking about it, you realise that the RDS is an exceptional place!"

lifelong commitment

Equestrianism has been at the centre of Bernie's life, and her involvement in the RDS. like her father before her, she is a former Chair of the Galway County Show and of the Showjumping Association of Ireland, first in the Connacht Region and then nationally She has also served as Vice-President of the Equestrian federation of Ireland, and on the Board of horse Sport Ireland, as RDS representative She was elected to the Equestrian Committee of the RDS in December 2002 and was a member of the Agricultural Section of the Council from 20062012 She is a former Chairman of the Equestrian Committee, and former Simmonscourt Arena Director at the Dublin horse Show. She is a show jumping judge, show organiser and horse breeder.

RDS Visual Ar t Awards revitalised for 2016

the reinvention of the rDS Visual ar t awards has brought it to new heights.

With a new structure, a new name and a new time of year, the 2016 RDS Visual Art Awards Exhibition was a stellar success. Continuing the steadfast RDS tradition of supporting emerging visual artists, the Awards showcased and rewarded the best Irish visual art graduates of 2016 the exhibition was enthusiastically received by many in the visual arts community, which was a great beginning for what was seen by many within the visual arts as a ‘new’ event

Winners

NCAD graduate Elaine hoey won this year’s €10,000 RDS taylor Art Award and in doing so followed in the footsteps of harry Clarke, Walter Osbourne, louis le Brocquy, Dorothy Cross, Maria McKinney, and many others. her work pushes the boundaries of visual art through her innovative use of virtual reality and gaming technology, and such was its popularity that there was a queue for Elaine’s work for almost the entire duration of the exhibition the prestigious RDS taylor Art Award has been presented since 1860 and is one of the most important awards for emerging visual artists in Ireland today formerly known as the RDS Student Art Awards, the RDS Visual Art Awards were significantly restructured for 2016, as well as being rebranded and moved to a standalone exhibition at a later time of the year. In all, 13 artists were selected by a judging panel for inclusion in the Exhibition and many commented on how the Exhibition worked so well in the RDS Concert hall space Influential artist Alice Maher curated the Exhibition and in addition to the cachet she brought to her role, her effort and enthusiasm for the project were beyond expectation All of the exhibitors spoke glowingly about her and about the incredible opportunity the RDS offered them to work with her On the opening night Alice spoke passionately about the visual arts, artists, culture in Ireland and the significant role that the RDS can now play in this area.

THE BEST OF ART

Clockwise from top: Justyna Kielbowicz inspecting her work in advance of the opening night; Megan Burns in front of her work, which was painted directly onto the walls; Curator Alice Maher and Visual Arts Working Group Chair Noel Kelly waiting to go on stage; and, the RDS Concent Hall set up for the Exhibition

New structure

the 13 exhibitors were selected from a longlist of 131 graduates who were invited to apply for the Awards, having been recommended by one of the eight professional curators employed by the RDS to visit the end-of-year BA and MA degree shows in 13 ar t colleges around the country Even from the early summer, this longlisting process was creating a buzz around the colleges, with bright green stickers marking out some of the best work of 2016 in each college that buzz continued right through to the exhibition itself, with thousands of visitors attending Many of the ar tists reflected after wards on what a major benefit the whole process was for their professional careers RDS taylor Ar t Award winner Elaine hoey spoke of how “ there was such a great air of excitement from all the colleges in regards to the prizes and the exhibition itself ” and how

“ to receive that kind of recognition for your work is unparalleled for students, especially in a show that is critically judged by Ireland’s top curators” But such feedback wasn’ t just given by prize winners

Jane Rainey from Belfast, who was selected to exhibit, spoke of how “ the exhibition provided me with a large amount of exposure; the amount of people who came and saw the show was fantastic ”

Another fellow exhibitor spoke of the prestige that the longlisting process quickly garnered in May and June: “Even to be longlisted was wonder ful and such a well-needed boost of confidence and motivation that all ar tists lack at times. So being shor tlisted and a par t of the show was unbelievable”.

the future

having seen the success of 2016, art colleges are already talking enthusiastically about 2017 hundreds of students who visited the exhibition have been spurred on by the work they saw and the ambition to be part of the RDS Visual Art Awards next year the interest in the exhibition from the visual art community was manifest in the amount of work sold, connections fostered and commissions being explored

the 2016 RDS Visual Art Awards Exhibition was a great success for all these reasons, but importantly because it also greatly contributed to the RDS mission of seeing Ireland thrive culturally and economically.

Give the gift of RDS membership for Christmas

It’s worth noting that your gift envelope is available for presentation in time for Christmas Day to purchase the gift of RDS membership or to find out more please contact Catherine Jordan, Membership Development Manager, on 01-240 7296 or via email at catherine@rds ie

New reciprocal club arrangements

Reciprocal clubs have become very popular with RDS Members, particularly with our business Members who regularly use the Penn Club in New york and the lansdowne Club in london, both providing unique accommodation alternatives for RDS Members three new clubs have recently been added to the reciprocal club list

the West Indies yacht Club – St Catherine, Jamaica

the West Indies yacht Club in Jamaica was founded for yachtsmen, marine officers and sailing enthusiasts to promote sailing and classic yachting, maintain and protect maritime heritage and improve sailing techniques, as well as vessels’ per formances RDS Members and their guests are welcome to use the elegant clubhouse, which provides a relaxing and convivial rendezvous for families and friends to meet, a base for Members’ business use and a variety of bars, restaurants, bedrooms, and also yacht berthing and mooring for Members’ enjoyment and convenience.

www.wiyc.club – accommodation available.

le Club forest & Stream – Montréal, Canada

le Club forest & Stream is an exclusive and private social club located on the west island of Montréal, offering excellent facilities in an atmosphere combining old-world tradition with modern amenities the Club offers a setting reminiscent of a country estate, where guests can feel at home, with world-class cuisine and a private wine cellar, meeting and event facilities, and free parking for Members and their guests.

www.forestandstream.ca – no accommodation

Wiener Rennverein – Vienna, Austria

Wiener Rennverein is the longest-established club in Vienna, with elegant and historical premises the Wiener Club provides Members with private or business meeting space in a pleasant atmosphere, but also offers opportunities to attend presentations and discussions with figures from public life and/or from the business and cultural sector, as well as the diplomatic scene.

www.rennverein.at – no accommodation

Ar t and enlightenment

JANUARY

Bridge classes every monday for 10 weeks

With Peter Pigot, January 30 until April 3, 2 30pm4 30pm €150 Members/€180 00 Non-Members

Fitness classes every monday for 16 weeks

With Sylvia fleming, 11.00am-12.00pm and 12.15pm-

1 15pm, January 30 until May 29

€66 Members/€80 Non-Members There will be no class on April 17 (classes will resume on April 24), or May 1 (classes will resume on May 8)

FEBRUARY

tuesday for six weeks

With Carole Shubotham

february 14 until March 21, 10 00am-12 30pm, Members' Conference Room €175 Members/€200 Non-Members All materials supplied

MARCH

In association with Age Action Ireland March 7-28, 10 30am-1 00pm, Members' Club €40 Members/€48 Non-Members

Advance booking is essential for all Members' classes and events. Please

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

FEBRUARY

15 rDS music Bursary London performance with aoife Gibney –royal over-Seas League, St James’s Street, London – 7 30pm this concert features 2016 Music Bursary winner Aoife Gibney, soprano, with pianist

Killian farrell

15 rDS Library Speaker Series – rDS merrion room – 6.30pm

John Pilkington: Russia and Europe: What Next?

Storyteller and journalist John Pilkington examines the current Russian question, leaning on his years of experience in former Soviet Union territories

21 rDS economic Vision 2020 – 6 00pm

Niamh Bushnell, Dublin Commissioner for Start-ups

MARCH

1 rDS Library Speaker Series – minerva Suite – 6 30pm

Richard Ovenden: Great Libraries of the World – The Bodleian Library, Oxford

Richard Ovenden is the top librarian of ‘the Bod’ founded in 1602, the library is one of the oldest in Europe and the second largest in the UK

8 Business members’ networking Breakfast – 7.30am – €10

Sophie Rowan, author, business and coaching psychologist, Managing Partner, Pinpoint: You and Your Team at Your Best – Proactive Career Management for You and Your Team

Prof Mike Gibney: Ever Seen a Fat Fox?: Human Obesity Explored

Prof. Gibney will look at obesity: its prevalence in society and possible solutions for its redress

rDS Library Speaker Series

Please join us for these unique presentations

Admission to lectures in the Series is free and open to the public, but booking is essential for bookings and information, please call 01-240 7254, email: librarydesk@rds.ie or go to www.rds.ie/speakerseries.

MARCH

A

of photographs drawn from a collection of the late Cavaliere Barbato Borza and various other sources

and Learn – thomas Prior room – 12 30pm

Ruth Kennelly, interior designer, RK Designs: Colour and Style – Getting it Right

Ruth Kennelly has been a leading interior designer in Ireland for over 10 years

– 6.00pm Colm lyon, CEO, fire financial Services

Visit two of Dublin’s most iconic churches with private guided tours the day will include lunch with return coach to the RDS Cost applies

APRIL

John Casey, Group Sales Director, trilogy technology: Information Security Risks – The Modern Landscape

John will talk about the increased demands organisations face in light of the increased security threat landscape, and the responsibilities of a new regulatory environment

rDS Bridge club

the RDS Bridge Club wishes all Members of the RDS a very happy

Christmas We play bridge every Wednesday at 7 30pm in the RDS library We welcome all levels of player, from novice to master If you are a member of the RDS, you are entitled to come along and play. Rest assured that you will be made to feel very welcome. Enquiries to the honorary Secretary, Moya, on 087-615 2531.

Planning and hard work

chief executive michael Duffy reports that the implementation of the Foundation Development Plan, which is part of the overall Strategic Plan for the Society, is proving successful.

2016 has been a very satisfactory year for the Society, with good performances recorded in our major areas of activity. the implementation of the foundation Development Plan is having a measurable and positive impact on our philanthropic work It is immediately evident in, for example, the decoupling of the RDS Visual Art Awards from the RDS Craft Awards, and in the development of our science activities, including the expansion of the RDS Primary Science fair the RDS Craft Awards were staged as a standalone event in the week of the RDS Dublin horse Show and were a great success the RDS Visual Art Awards Exhibition took place in the RDS during October for the first time and attracted critical acclaim from the visual arts community. Additionally, the number of Members’ events has increased threefold since 2011 and now numbers over 90 wide-ranging events All of these are signs that the planning and hard work of the Committees and the foundation Board are paying off this increased scale of RDS philanthropic work required funding of €2 4 million from the RDS in 2016 If we wish to continue to increase the number of activities, maintain their quality and introduce new elements, we will need to seek additional funding through philanthropy the focus on our philanthropic work impacts in a very positive way on membership engagement and more Members than before are now active at every level of the Society. this year the Society asked the membership to consider making a specific financial contribution, over and above their membership subscription, to our philanthropic work We have been heartened and gratified with the response

Effective evaluation

this year’s RDS Dublin horse Show moved to July to accommodate Olympic participants Despite this, the Show was once again a huge success. It remains one of the world’s great horse shows and the Equestrian Committee deserves great credit for the manner in which it has developed every aspect of the Show It has managed this in a gradual and highly-effective manner the method of evaluating each step as the Show evolves is a model that is used by all the RDS Committees in the development of their projects It has underpinned the success of the RDS Dublin horse Show and many other RDS events

Prudent plans

On the commercial front, we had a very good year for our venue operations, underpinned by a series of significant international

conferences. these included the International Air transport Association (IAtA) conference and a world conference for specialist veterinarians. the exhibitions business was also strong but there is no doubt that confidence is still fragile that said, our bookings for 2017 and ahead are good and exhibition bookings are a reasonable barometer of an economy’s health

A major project at present is the development of the Main Arena in the form of a new Anglesea Stand and associated areas We secured full planning permission on November 8 and this allows us to focus on securing the funding necessary to implement the redevelopment the Society has a strong record of undertaking major projects in a very prudent way. We will once again ensure that the funding we receive is consistent with the requirements of the Society the design we have adopted will enhance the RDS Dublin horse Show and provide a topclass stadium for both the Show and for leinster Rugby for many years to come Our timescale is naturally dependent on finalising funding for the project

teamwork

the success of the Society relies on a number of key elements working together. the talent and hard work of a wonderful team of staff combines with the wisdom and specialist expertise of our Members who serve voluntarily on the various Committees and Boards to extraordinary effect We recognise the dedication of everyone involved and are grateful to the Board of Management, foundation Board and the Council for the leadership they provide

micHaeL DuFFY, cHieF executiVe.