The centre features a 25m, six-lane swimming pool with a moveable floor, two sports halls and a 19m climbing wall.

Open to students, staff and the local community, the facility also boasts a health and fitness area, an aerobic and dance studio, a sauna, steamroom and treatment rooms for physiotherapy.

Funding for the centre came from Trinity College as well as American billionaire Chuck Feeney (9m euro; £7m, US$15m) and a annual levy on students (4m euro; £3m US$6m).

The centre was officially opened by Irish sports minister, Seamus Brennan, who said the facility would have a huge impact on university sports.

“Sport and recreation play a hugely important role in university life and never more so than in today’s hectic environment,” he said.

“The value of sport to the nation simply cannot be over-emphasised, in raising our health levels, in helping to give us a sense of ourselves and in boosting morale.”

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