When it comes to dreaming up a winning name, Moya Doherty can certainly be said to have the magic touch. The woman who originated the lucrative Riverdance brand was called upon yesterday to announce details of Ireland's biggest arts venue, to be built in Blanchardstown at a cost of £4 million.
And the name which Ms Doherty and her fellow board members have conjured up? It is Draiocht, which means "magic" in Irish.
Ms Doherty was in Blanchardstown Centre yesterday to unveil the name, logo and first phase plans for the venue, which will have 26,000 square feet of space and is expected to be finished in time for the Millennium.
Draiocht will feature a multipurpose public auditorium, a gallery space, artists' studios and rehearsal rooms, and is intended for use by the local community, arts groups and visiting artists and performers.
The new venue, said Ms Doherty, will "introduce performers and audience to a magical place which provides a showcase for international, national and local talent."
The idea of a purpose-built arts venue for Blanchardstown developed from the Dublin Arts Report of 1992, which noted the lack of cultural and arts facilities in the area. The Draiocht management board, of which Ms Doherty is a member, hopes to wave a wand over the empty site and summon up a vibrant arts scene in Dublin 15.
