Good morning. Here’s everything you need to know before you start your day.

Local residents have lodged objections to a €26m plan by the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) to upgrade its famous showgrounds and expand spectator capacity by nearly 3,000 people.

THERE may still be a few dinosaurs in Leinster House but, thanks to the vision and purpose of Lawrence Dundas, third Earl and first marquess of Zetland, mayor of Richmond in Yorkshire and Knight of the Thistle, remnants of the real things have enjoyed more tranquil surroundings for the past 125 years.

Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney yesterday announced €2m euro in Government funding for discussion groups for the sport horse industry.

RDS and Leinster Rugby have announced plans to increase capacity of arena.

A conference on the disastrous effects which the Curragh Mutiny, or ‘incident’ as it became known, of 1914 had on British army discipline was held recently at the Curragh army camp, which is today the headquarters of the Irish Defence Forces.

PLANTS have always lent themselves to interpretation and never more so than at Christmas.

REGARDING the current debate on the appropriateness or otherwise of RTÉ broadcasting the Angelus, I share the views of Paul McCarthy, (Letters, August 24).

THE five-day Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show, which ended yesterday, is now recognised as the best in the world, according to visiting riders and officials.

THE historic role of the Royal Dublin Society in developing Irish forestry was highlighted at Donadea Forest Park, Kilcock, Co Kildare, when details of this year’s national forestry awards were announced.

I SUPPORT of the suggestion by Nora Comiskey (Letters, June 14) to rename Dublin Airport after Tom Clarke to coincide with the Easter Rising centenary.

PRIZES totalling €3,000 await the top performers in allotment gardening.

Jonathan Sexton will make his Ireland debut in Saturday’s clash with Fiji at the Royal Dublin Society as one of eight changes to the side that drew with Australia.

THE credit crunch provided a surprise boost for the five-day Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show which ended last evening.

WALKING across the busy road outside the Royal Dublin Society complex in Ballsbridge was not for the fainthearted yesterday.

A NEW breeders’ championship has been introduced by the Royal Dublin Society to identify mares capable of producing quality performance young horse stock.

A LEADING heritage campaigner has urged the state to loosen its purse strings, step in and buy Michael Collins’s revolver at an auction this weekend.

A TWIN-TRACK approach by the Royal Dublin Society has boosted the reputation of the Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show as one of the world’s leading equestrian events.

SORTING out the chaps from the lads at the Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show is proving a trifle difficult.

IS THAT it?

THE late Billy Nagle, a native of Buttevant, Co Cork, who died last week, was a champion of the co-operative movement and a leading figure in Irish agri-business.

Developer Sean Dunne tonight unveiled ambitious plans for a 37-storey diamond shaped tower in Dublin 4.

THE historic main jumping arena at the Royal Dublin Society (RDS) showgrounds is to be given a facelift as part of a €100 million five-year development plan for the Ballsbridge property.

IT will be Ladies’ Day in earnest both inside and outside the manicured rings of the Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show at the RDS today.

Ireland’s biggest equestrian event kicked off today with precautions to safeguard against the spread into the country of foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).

THE sport horse industry, worth at least €400 million a year to the national economy, will have a shop window display at this week’s Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show.

One of Ireland’s oldest and largest equestrian events will kick off this week for its annual showcase.

THE stylish dash of uniformed Army officers on horseback, the elegant glamour of Miss Ireland Blathnaid McKenna and a background of rare and glorious sunshine made a cocktail to whet the appetite of any romantic.

THE five-day Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show, which ended on a high note yesterday, attracted an estimated overall attendance of around 80,000 people.

The Dublin Horse Show was opened in fitting style today as the Lord Mayor of Dublin rolled up to the doors in a coach drawn by four black horses.

THERE is more to the Fáilte Ireland Dublin Horse Show, which begins on Wednesday, than superb jumping and the fashionable social round.

TEAM manager Robert Splaine yesterday said he was confident Ireland could maintain its place in the elite Samsung Super Show Jumping League.

THE National Gallery yesterday unveiled a major new €1.9 million acquisition — a painting which returns to the country after spending nearly 100 years in private collections in the United States.

AN extinction threat to the traditional Irish draught workhorse has been raised in the Dáil by Cork North Central Labour TD Kathleen Lynch.

The curtain came down tonight on a drama-packed Sinn Féin annual conference that was overshadowed by the murder of Belfast man Robert McCartney and other criminal links to the 100-year-old party.

FAME seekers of all ages turned out in Dublin yesterday to try sell themselves in a one-minute camera stunt for a place in this season's Big Brother house.