One of the country’s largest cinema screens is to be installed at The Swan in Rathmines as part of a €5 million upgrading, expansion and rebranding of the Dublin 6 cinema complex.

The Omniplex Group, Ireland's largest cinema chain, owned by the Anderson family, is extending the leisure facility by 2,043sq m (22,000sq ft) in order to double its capacity to eight screens and 1,600 seats. It will be known as Omniplex Rathmines from its launch date in June.

The new OmniplexMaxx will open with Grace of Monaco featuring Nicole Kidman and Edge of Tomorrow starring Tom Cruise.

Paul Anderson, managing director of the group, said describing the giant screen visual and aural experience could not do it justice: “You have to see it and hear it to believe it . . . the ultra-high definition 3D screen has the new Barco sound system where you not only hear the sound but can actually feel it.”

The new cinema will accommodate 280 viewers.

The Rathmines cinema opened in 2009 with three screens and, because of heavy demand, a fourth screen was added towards the end of 2012.

Staff to double
Employment at Omniplex Rathmines is expected to double to 32 people. The Omniplex Group operates cinemas in 22 locations in the Republic and Northern Ireland.

Last Friday, it was announced that the group is to buy the Odyssey Pavilion centre in Belfast for less than £10 million. The company is expected to spend a large sum on refurbishing the centre which adjoins the Odyssey Arena on Belfast’s waterfront. The Pavilion was originally developed by Peter Curistan who opened the Cineworld Cinema in Dublin’s Parnell Street.