The Round Room

History of The Round Room and The Mansion House

The Round Room was built in 1821 to receive King George IV as it was deemed that there was no room grand enough in the city to receive royalty.
It was in this room, in 1919 that the first Dail Eireann was held: Making the first definitive parliamentary move for Home rule  70 of the elected Irish representatives did not attend West Minister but pledged to the First Irish parliamentary meeting ever held in Ireland instead.

In 1921, 100 years after the room was built to receive the British monarch, the Anglo-Irish Treaty was ratified here. The ratification ended the Anglo Irish War, created Ireland as a Free State and caused the Civil War.

Like The Supper Room, The Round Room has remained a prominent feature in the Dublin social and political scene. It also was a cultural centre in the formative years of The Free State, and later The Republic.

In the 1990s, it was leased to an event Management team and it became a commercial events centre. In 2005, The Round Room became the Events Centre for MHL Event Management, the dedicated event management team based in the Mansion House. After a large amount of refurbishment, the room has now returned to its former glory as the grandest room for a reception, event and acts as the perfect conference centre Dublin.  

Interesting Facts:

1. On the 25 April 1715, the Dublin Corporation purchased the house at a cost of £3,500 and also agreed to pay a yearly rent to Dawson of forty shillings and a loaf of double-refined sugar weighing six pounds each Christmas. In return, Joshua Dawson agreed to build on an extra room to the house which could be used for civic receptions - the famous Oak Room
2. Dublin was the first city in Ireland or Britain to have an official residence for its Lord Mayor.
3. The Mansion House is not unique in having been planned and built as a private residence for a wealthy individual, and later taking on a public function. Most of Dublin's great mansions now have a civic or political role. The Mansion House is unique, however, in that it retains its residential function in addition to its public function.
4. The Mansion House famous visitors include, Prince Rainier III and Princess Grace of Monaco, Pope John Paul II & Queen Victoria