Dundrum Town Centre's €14 million theatre will be opened next month by the President, Mrs McAleese. Yesterday Trainspotting author and playwright Irvine Welsh unveiled the 250-seat Mill theatre with singer and actress Honor Heffernan and actor Graham Cruz.
The theatre has been funded by Dundrum Town Centre Ltd.
The first play to be staged next month in front of Mrs McAleese will be Thornton Wilder's Our Town. A drama by Welsh, Babylon Heights, will be staged in August.
The Mill will feature multi-disciplinary, contemporary arts and popular entertainment for national and local drama groups, with local drama groups having use of the theatre for 12 weeks a year. There will also be an emphasis on productions aimed at younger audiences.
As well as the main theatre area there will be a 50-seater performance space, The Lounge, which will feature lunchtime performances.