| Lansdowne Road is the home of Irish rugby.
Its first major game was played in December 1876, when Leinster played Ulster.
Another important early match was an 1878 international, when England beat Ireland by two
goals and a try to nil. Some years after
those first games Harry Shepperd, treasurer of the IRFU, personally bought the lease for
the ground. After Shepperd died in 1906, the IRFU bought the lease from his estate. The
union then negotiated a long lease with the owners and, having secured the ground's
future, set about developing it. The pitch was swung through 90 degrees - a bit like the
Welsh and The Arms Park, nearly a century later.
The development work, including the construction of new stands on each side,
was completed for the game against Scotland in February 1908 and since that time several
developments and structural changes have taken place.
Some have been more successful than others however:
another new stand was opened for the Scotland game in 1927 before its roof had been put
on. Naturally it poured with rain, although there was some compensation in the result - a
6-0 Irish win.
Most of Irelands home games since 1878 have been
played at Lansdowne Road, but until 1954, internationals were also staged regularly in
Belfast. In addition there have been three in Cork, and one in Limerick.
Placed outside of Dublin City centre, the enthusiast can walk from the City
Centre, or catch the dart train for a couple of stops. Bus services are quick and regular
on match days. Be early though if you want a beer near the stadium as the few pubs there
are, get very busy. |