National Concert Hall

[2] The history of Earlsfort Terrace, where the National Concert Hall is based, dates back to 1865 when it was originally known as the Exhibition Palace.

A Dublin Corporation scholarship brought Kevin Barry, who had joined the Irish Republican Army in 1917, into UCD’s medical school in 1919.

President Patrick Hillary officially opened the National Concert Hall on 9 September 1981 with the RTÉSO and a number soloists and choirs under Colman Pearce.

[citation needed] The National Symphony Orchestra was founded in 1948 and is one of Ireland's principal classical music groups.

Crash Ensemble was formed in 1997, described as the ‘Irish new-music collective with international cachet and considerable chops’ by The Washington Post.

As of 2021, Paul Noonan, James Vincent McMorrow, Lisa Hannigan, Ross Turner and Glenn Keating are resident, creating and making new work at NCH.

Plans to develop the site have been in train since the mid-2000s following the purchase of Earlsfort Terrace from UCD for the future redevelopment of the National Concert Hall.

Under Project Ireland 2040, the Government has committed to a major investment in the redevelopment of the NCH with the aim of transforming it into the National Centre for the performance of music.

[citation needed] The redevelopment programme was due to start construction in 2022, involving the building and performance spaces at Earlsfort Terrace.