The home of Leinster Rugby. Well, except when they play in the RDS or Lansdowne. The fact that…read moreLeinster occasionally use different stadiums is part of the reason Donnybrook is so surprisingly small. The other, and main, reason is that they don't actually own much land on the far side and therefore can't build a second stand. Damned Tennis Court! Still, one stand and two terraces ain't half bad given the relative obscurity from which club rugby has emerged in the last ten years or so.

Donnybrook Stadium has recently been dragged into the high-octane modern world of professional club…read morerugby with a brand spanking new stand. The exterior of this futuristic concrete structure is draped with ginormous action portraits of Leinster idols like Leo Cullen or Brian 'BOD' O'Driscoll. Irish rugby has been so ludicrously successful in recent times that burgeoning crowds were causing the old venue to almost burst at the seams when a popular fixture came to town. As they cannot get hold of the adjacent properties, Stand #2 is nowhere on the horizon, and seeing as the really, really big dates like Leinster vs. Munster are held in Croke Park, and shortly, at the new Lansdowne Road, there may actually be no need for one The much harangued and ridiculed Senior and Junior School's Rugby Cup matches are held in Donnybrook each year too. These events are like clinical research into the herd-mentality and see hundreds of uniformed young males descend into an uproarious fervour of animalistic school pride. Definitely worth a look-see, as I don't think you'll find school spirit as powerful as this anywhere else this side of the Atlantic.

This is a government property the building charges over inflated rates. The staff are not trained…read moreto a commercial standard customer service is awful. The have the run of the market and simply are not accountable. The priority is the rugby stand not the years long clients. The bathrooms are third world , event spaces fifty. Events are going to Belfast /Liverpool/Glasgow over Dublin . There needs to be a panorama programme down on the staff /Facilities and commercials

The RDS is great as an outdoor music venue, lots of space and that big arena atmosphere. Indoor…read moregigs can be a bit overcooked in the sound department as it is, essentially, just a big concrete box. 7up on Ice is cool, but gets a bit frustrating for anyone who can actually skate-you'll be spending a lot of time alone. The RDS has also become the adopted home of Leinster Rugby, as Donnybrook can no longer satisfy the demand for tickets. I was at the Leinster-Ulster game on St. Stephens Day, and I have to say it was the most atmosphere-free match of anything I've ever attended. I'm not sure if it's the fault of the fans or the stadium itself but, for me, watching sports should involve a bit of shouting. There were no songs to be sung, and the closest we came to straining our voices were the rare drones of "Leinster, Leinster, Leinster". It was all a bit crap really, and massively at odds with the last four games I've attended-which were all at Croker(Dublin/West-Meath, Ireland/Italy, Ireland/Montenegro, Ireland/France).

This is the university I want to go to when I leave school. I feel its got everything you could…read morewant in terms of facilities and the atmosphere is one of companionship and pride for the college. I'm not yet old enough to attend the university however I visit it regularly for sports, which is my main reason for loving this place. I play a lot of hockey and they have two really good pitches, one sand based and the other a top of the line water based one. It is actually the National Hockey Stadium. There are stand for this pitch, which you may have seen as Setanta Sports have broadcasted some club games from here before. These pitches are also used for soccer. You regularly see people of all ages playing five a side soccer on the sand. There is a new rugby and gaelic pitch, and athletics track as well as a fully equiped gym and quite a few basketball/volleyball/badminton courts. There is even rock climbing. Above these facilities is the SPorts Cafe which serves nutricious food for the athletes The university is of course primarily for education. It has a very good reputation with many famous people, such as Rosanna Davidson - former Miss World, having graduated from here. There are many scholarships to be won to attend here also. The easiest way to go view this campus is to bring your dog for a walk around its lovely grounds and take in the atmosphere.

I don't attend UCD but I've come here before a few times for various events like the L'Oreal Colour…read moreTrophy and career seminars. I also used to train in Taekwondo here and use the gym too. I go to a small college in the city centre which just has one building, so UCD is ginormous to me, almost like a mini city and a haven for anyone who loves sports and club activities. The lecture halls and facilities are top notch, everything was very modern and pristine and they have a lot of eateries on campus and nice greenery for students to relax. It was my first choice on my CAO form which I unfortunately did not get so I can't comment on the educational aspect, but I have friends who go here/ went here who have said many good things about it. But apparently you can take elective modules and do extra classes and earn credits from it, something which is not available at my college but would love to have. It also seems a lot more student focused. The only downside is the location; it's pretty far out, but it's in a nice area of Dublin. It's just getting to and from there if you live in the city centre can be quite annoying. But overall, it seems like a great place to be a student.

When you see experienced skaters gliding around nonchalantly it's easy to fall into the trap of…read morethinking that something that looks so easy must actually be easy. Naturally enough, all sense of romance is immediately abandoned upon stepping onto the ice in your fairly uncomfortable skates, and thoughts quickly turn to matters of a more survival-based nature. It would be great not to fall. Still having ten fingers at the end of this would be a result. And when you inevitably fall and release yourself to the rush of shame: it would be great not to have broken anything. And even if you have broken something, you suspect that you won't know till later as the sheer adrenaline-rush fuelled will not to be seen to have broken anything may actually carry you still skating off the rink. It's a wonder all things considered we return year on year to put ourselves through it again. I'm a survivor though and I still haven't broken a bone. And every year shows a small but definite improvement such that I haven't lost hope that one day, when I'm old, I'll be able to do that backward glide thing. or that knee bent spin thing. That's romance for you. And somehow the fiction mixed with the reality all amount to plain good fun. I've heard tell that the rink at the Point Depot (yeah I know it's not called that still, but it keeps changing its name a la corporate every five minutes so I'm reverting and I encourage you to do the same) has special things adults can hold on to (and I'm not talking about the sides of the rink) - the RDS only provides these for small kids - which make the risk of falling a whole lot less, so this might be a better option for those new to it. On the plus side, here you have outdoor rides, Funderland a few paces away (so rob a bank first), and all the junk food you can shake a pretzel at within easy reach. Book online to save queueing, come early to get skates, and be first off the rink if you don't want to wait 20 minutes to get your shoes at the end of the session.

It's a bittersweet moment, walking into the RDS when it's all dolled up for Christmas on Ice. I've…read moregot my own memories of learning to ice skate, and believe you me, none of them involved cafes, chocolate fountains or discos. Of course with those additions ice skating transforms from a right of passage (who hasn't compared skating bruises like fishing stories?) into a real event. Just the struggle to get a pair of those chunky hockey skates on is a great story. Toss in a mug of cocoa, Top 40 pop and REAL SNOW and that's a tradition in the making. Of course, financing a grand day out can be steep...prices for peak hours (all day Friday, weekends and holidays) start at €14 per adult. Also, much to my disappointment, sessions last only an hour -barely enough time to get those ankles straight and triple lutzes polished. Note: dress in layers. Sure it's cold when you first walk in, but after a few circuits you'll be sweating like Apollo Ohno.

One of the most beautiful campuses I have seen! It is very open, and GREEN! I like to workout so I…read moretake the 4 mile trail around and it is grand!! The dirt trail runs along the perimeter of the campus. There's a lot of construction going on (at least during the summer). I believe they are expanding the campus, so you might see a lot work being done!

The architecture of UCD captures a near soviet level of grim, crushing depression. Everything is…read moregrey and seemingly designed using blocks of leggo-only without the extravagance of the little dots on top. The main square, built with an eye to the social upheavals of the 60's, is actually designed to prevent mass gatherings. You'd guess that, as it's a thoroughly unwelcoming place. And then onto the interior, and maybe another reference to children's toys. The floor is color coded, different colored lines lead you to different parts of the campus. I'll admit to feeling a bit conflicted about this system. It's a bit patronizing. But, I don't understand it and have been lost in UCD nearly every time I've entered. There are no labels explaining the system, it's shaggin'useless.