National Stadium, Boxing stadium in Dublin, Ireland

The National Stadium is a boxing venue in Dublin built with a limestone facade and two-story design. The building contains spaces for different event types, each with its own seating capacity depending on how the venue is arranged.

Major General W. R. E. Murphy, Deputy Commissioner of the Garda Síochána, proposed the stadium in early 1935 and raised about a third of the funds with his wife Mary Agnes Murphy. Built in 1939, it was opened by government minister Frank Aiken and has served the Irish Amateur Boxing Association for over 60 years. In December 1999 a £1.3m Sports Capital Programme grant funded a refurbishment that gave the two-storey building its grey limestone facade.

The stadium has long doubled as a music venue, hosting The Dubliners, Horslips, Genesis, Led Zeppelin, Thin Lizzy, Van Morrison and The Smiths. On 26 February 1980 U2 played here before Island Records executives, who signed the band to their first recording contract at the end of the show. Since the 2000s it has also staged professional wrestling events.

The venue is easily accessible on foot from Dublin's city center and welcomes visitors for various events. Before visiting, check what type of event is happening since the interior layout changes depending on whether it is set up for boxing or other activities.

The building stands as the only purpose-built amateur boxing arena of its kind worldwide. This makes it a special place for the sport, since it was designed from the start specifically for boxing.