3Arena rises on North Wall Quay in Dublin’s Docklands, built on the footprint of the old Point Theatre and transformed into Ireland’s premier indoor entertainment venue when it opened on 16 December 2008. It first carried the name The O2, switching to 3Arena in September 2014 after Three Ireland acquired O2’s Irish operations, but the fan-shaped bowl and docklands setting have stayed constant through both eras.
The €80 million rebuild kept elements of the original Point Theatre facade while reimagining the interior as a modern bowl where no seat sits farther than 60 meters from the stage. Operated by Live Nation Ireland, the venue has since hosted everyone from U2 and Adele to Britney Spears, plus UFC Fight Night and WWE’s first televised Irish event in 2025, cementing its place among the world’s busiest ticketed arenas.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: North Wall Quay, Dublin Docklands, Ireland
- Type: Indoor arena
- Opened: 16 December 2008 (as The O2; renamed 3Arena in 2014)
- Capacity: 9,300 seated / about 13,000 with standing
- Operator: Live Nation Ireland
- Construction cost: About €80 million
- Famous for: Ranked among the world’s top ten busiest music arenas by ticket sales
From the Point Theatre to 3Arena
The site had already been a Dublin music landmark for two decades as the Point Theatre before developers tore into a full redevelopment, preserving parts of the historic facade while building an entirely new fan-shaped auditorium behind it. That blend of old dockside character and modern engineering gave Dublin a venue that could compete for the biggest international tours.
The rename from The O2 to 3Arena in September 2014 followed Three Ireland’s takeover of O2’s Irish mobile business, but the change was branding only — the bowl, the Docklands address, and the booking relationship with Live Nation Ireland carried straight through.
A Stage for the World’s Biggest Acts
With up to 13,000 fans packed in for standing shows, 3Arena has pulled in a steady stream of global headliners, from U2 and Adele to Britney Spears, and its box office has repeatedly landed it among the top ten busiest arenas on the planet by Pollstar’s ticket-sales rankings.
The venue has also branched beyond music, hosting UFC Fight Night: McGregor vs. Brandao in 2014 and WWE’s first televised event in Ireland in 2025, proof that its fan-shaped design works just as well for combat sports as it does for arena rock.
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3Arena FAQs
What was 3Arena called before it was 3Arena?
The venue opened in December 2008 as The O2, built on the site of the earlier Point Theatre. It was renamed 3Arena in September 2014 after Three Ireland acquired O2’s Irish operations.
How many people can 3Arena hold?
3Arena seats about 9,300 people, with capacity rising to around 13,000 for standing-room concerts.
Where is 3Arena located?
3Arena sits on North Wall Quay in the Dublin Docklands, Dublin, Ireland.
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Photo: William Murphy from Dublin, Ireland / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.