About 430 guests attended the RDS in Dublin for the Christmas Day dinner for the poor and homeless.

It was the 93rd year of the event, which is organised by the Knights of St Columbanus.

It has been a feature of Christmas Day in Dublin since 1924.

Some 330 volunteers helped to serve up three-course meals as well as preparing over 3,000 takeaway meals for distribution to almost 30 different organisations.

They also gave out provisions to help people over the Christmas period.

In the past few years, organisers say they have seen a significant increase in the need for meals on Christmas Day. 

In 2011 they provided some 1,200 meals. Last year that number almost trebled to 3,500.