Ian Fox presents a documentary on the newly opened National Concert Hall in Dublin. He looks at the history of the building and talks to those involved in setting it up. The programme features Seoirse Bodley's work 'Ceol', which was performed on opening night.

The building was originally constructed for the Dublin International Exhibition of 1865, before being converted into the central building of University College Dublin in 1908. When UCD related to Belfield to a new campus in Belfield in the 1960’s, part building was converted and reopened at the National Concert Hall in 1981.

The National Concert Hall is rated by performing artists as one of the finest concert halls in Europe and attracts over 340,000 concert-goers a year.

Nowadays, it is a thriving venue catering for all musical tastes, with weekly performances by the resident orchestra - the RTÉ National Symphony Orchestra – along with a programme ranging from classic operas and magical musicals to contemporary Irish folk.

Produced by Jane Carty

Presented by Ian Fox

First broadcast 12th September 1981

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