The Zoological Society of Ireland (ZSI) is the body responsible for running Dublin Zoo

Dublin Zoo

Dublin Zoo , in Phoenix Park, Dublin, Ireland is the largest zoo in Ireland and one of Dublin's most popular attractions. Opened in 1831, the zoo describes its role as conservation, study, and education...

, where it is based, and Fota Wildlife Park

Fota Wildlife Park

Fota Wildlife Park was opened in 1983. Located in the south of Ireland, in County Cork, the park is set on , and is home to nearly 30 mammal and 50 bird species. Many of the animals roam freely with the visitors, such as the ring-tailed lemurs and squirrel monkeys. The larger animals, including the...

 in County Cork

County Cork

County Cork is a county in Ireland. It is located in the South-West Region and is also part of the province of Munster. It is named after the city of Cork . Cork County Council is the local authority for the county...

. It is the successor to the Royal Zoological Society of Ireland (RZSI), a learned society

Learned society

A learned society is an organization that exists to promote an academic discipline/profession, as well a group of disciplines. Membership may be open to all, may require possession of some qualification, or may be an honor conferred by election, as is the case with the oldest learned societies,...

 for the study of zoology

Zoology

Zoology |zoölogy]]), is the branch of biology that relates to the animal kingdom, including the structure, embryology, evolution, classification, habits, and distribution of all animals, both living and extinct...

.

The original ZSI was founded in Dublin on 10 May 1830 at a meeting in the Rotunda Hospital

Rotunda Hospital

The Rotunda Hospital is one of the three main maternity hospitals in the city of Dublin, the others being the The Coombe and The National Maternity Hospital...

 called and chaired by the Duke of Leinster, "to form a collection of living animals on the plan to the Zoological Society of London

Zoological Society of London

The Zoological Society of London is a charity devoted to the worldwide conservation of animals and their habitats...

". Dublin Zoo opened in September 1831 in the Phoenix Park

Phoenix Park

Phoenix Park is an urban park in Dublin, Ireland, lying 2–4 km west of the city centre, north of the River Liffey. Its 16 km perimeter wall encloses , one of the largest walled city parks in Europe. It includes large areas of grassland and tree-lined avenues, and since the seventeenth...

. The Society's first general meeting was held in November 1832. In 1838, the Zoo held an open day to mark the coronation

Coronation of the British monarch

The coronation of the British monarch is a ceremony in which the monarch of the United Kingdom is formally crowned and invested with regalia...

 of Queen Victoria

Victoria of the United Kingdom

Victoria was the monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland from 20 June 1837 until her death. From 1 May 1876, she used the additional title of Empress of India....

 and the Society was rewarded with the prefix "Royal" in its name.

In October 1993, the members of the RZSI voted to dissolve the society and transfer its assets to a new non-profit limited company

Limited company

A limited company is a company in which the liability of the members or subscribers of the company is limited to what they have invested or guaranteed to the company. Limited companies may be limited by shares or by guarantee. And the former of these, a limited company limited by shares, may be...

 called "Zoological Society of Ireland Limited". This was to facilitate government and private funding arrangements for future development. Responsibility for government assistance was transferred at the same time from the Department of Education to the Office of Public Works

Office of Public Works

The Office of Public Works is a State Agency of the Department of Finance in the Republic of Ireland...

.