Ads, Articles and Aristocrats: The Dublin Horse Show Annuals
Nick Power Smith, RDS Library & Archives intern, discuses the historical significance of the Dublin Horse Show Annuals and what they can tell us.
My name is Nick, and I am a third year History student at Trinity College Dublin. I am currently undertaking an internship here at the RDS and I have had the opportunity to work in the RDS Library & Archives. I have had the pleasure of gaining insight into the collection, preservation and digitization of important RDS documents that tell the stories of the society’s rich history.
The Horse Show is the most iconic event of the RDS calendar, and, as we approach its 150th edition, it is important to acknowledge the Horse Show’s historical significance and the excellent historical sources it has provided the RDS and Ireland.
The Horse Show first took place in 1864 on the lawns of Leinster House, where it stayed until 1881 when it permanently moved to Ballsbridge. The recent digitization of the Horse Shows Annuals from 1900 to 1914 allows us to see not only how the Horse Show has changed and developed but also depicts the changes in Irish society.
The annuals themselves are two large richly illustrated bound books containing 7 and 8 programmes each. The recent digitization has allowed for easier access for the public and academics alike to enjoy the wealth of information that the annuals provide. The annuals provide a record of Horse Show winners, competitions, key members of the RDS, popular brands of the time and how the RDS Horse Show looked over 100 years ago.
When examining the annuals, we can see how the RDS Horse Show was highly regarded among the gentry of Ireland and England and how it was an unmissable event for Dublin and Ireland’s high society. When examining the cover of the annuals, it is undeniable the influence of the royal family on the RDS. The annuals depict a celebration of the monarchy in the RDS and among the attendees of the Horse Show.
Each year's programme has a picture of the monarch on the cover along with presidents and vice presidents of the RDS, showing how the RDS Horse Show was synonymous with the Anglo-Irish elite in Ireland and the continuity of aristocratic influence just before the Irish revolutionary period.
The representation of the monarchy and aristocracy in the annuals show how the upper-class in both England and Ireland were highly interlinked. The annuals also tell us about the interests of people who attended the Horse Show. Throughout each annual, there are pages of advertisements, full of Irish and English businesses, which would have appealed to the Horse Shows attendees. The most common advertisements were for hotels , equestrian and agricultural supplies, fine spirits and as the annuals entered the 1910s early examples of motor cars for Irish and UK markets. Some brands that you would recognise today are Vauxhall, Rolls-Royce, Bushmills, Dunlop and Burberry.
The Horse Show went hand in hand with many other pastimes in the early 20th century. Throughout the annuals there are guides and directories for polo clubs, hunting meets, golf courses, day trips and museums in Ireland. These articles are targeted for Horse Show attendees, offering opportunities and events for tourists to take part in.
The annuals show the transition of interest from purely equestrian towards the motor car. As the Horse Show entered the 1910’s interest and availability of cars greatly increased in Ireland particularly among attendees of the Horse Show who would have had the financial means to purchase one. This highlights Ireland’s transition from horse and carriage towards cars in the early 1900’s. The earlier annuals contain photos of grand coach parades at the Dublin Horse Shows around Dublin City Centre, while the later additions include not only advertisements for cars but also photos of rows of cars awaiting entrance to the Horse Show.
In the 1914 edition there is an article highlighting the relationship between horses and the motorcar, and how attendees previously only interested in horses have now come to terms with the importance and desirability of the car. Later annuals included invitations for motorists to visit motor dealerships in Dublin to inspect their stock. This shows an increased interest with the emerging urban middle class and reflects the broadening appeal of the Horse Show as Ireland’s society shifted from the landlord-dominated society to a more diversified and commercially aware one.
As the collection progresses, the contents change with the years. In the early editions there are articles on the militaristic use of horses. This was due to Ireland’s key role in supplying horses to the British Empire. The 1901 annual suggests 4000 horses were acquired from Irish breeders in a ‘normal year’. As the annuals continue, there is less and less mention of the military prestige of the British Empire or of the use of Irish horses in the British military. This is due to the growing debate of Irish independence, particularly after the 1910 edition as Home Rule debates were becoming more common and were gaining momentum across Irish life. Even with the ‘non-political’ nature of the Horse Show, growing political tensions in Ireland become subtly apparent in everyday life including in popular Irish events such as the Horse Show.
Similarly, the annuals show a rise of Irish farmers and the Catholic middle class. As the annuals progress the success of Irish horse breeders and trainers in the Horse Show becomes more and more apparent. The growing prominence of Irish surnames in the winners' index shows how after various land reform acts such as the 1903 Land Purchase Act and the Labourers Act of 1906 had a positive influence of Irish agricultural industry and business. The annuals are superb example of how Ireland transitioned in the early 20th century from aristocratic dominance towards prosperous and growing Irish farmers and a blooming Irish middle-class.
