Balally Luas Stop

Despite it’s name not being ‘Dundrum’, this is the stop you get off at if you are heading to Dundrum City Centre. Even the announcer on the Luas concurs when she affirms, ‘Next stop Balally. Please alight for Dundrum Town Centre’. Balally is a far closer and more straightforward walk to the shopping centre, hence this zealous piece of advice coming from all sides. For the privilege of a shorter trip on foot you pay an extra 40c as Dundrum Luas Station is situated inside Zone 2, so to reach it from the city centre costs € 1.90. Balally Luas Station however is the first stop inside Zone 3 and thus costs more at € 2.30.
There are no ceremonial means of having your ticket checked. What happens is that you board the tram, say with a ticket bought from the freestanding machines at each stop and unless an inspector in a fluorescent orange jacket suddenly boards at one of the stops to check tickets you will not have your ticket inspected.
The inspectors, in my experience of living in Dublin are rarely seen and so it is customary behaviour by numerous people, especially students who have limited money to spend, not to buy a ticket at all. At a hefty € 2.30 it is hard to justify paying this price for such a short journey out to Dundrum then back in again, maybe if the local transport company did not charge such a bold price people would be more keen to pay, even if it was just to get rid of some loose change and ensure that if an inspector did board you were safe. If you do get caught ticketless the fine is an excruciating € 45. The gamble is yours to either take or, well, not to take.
Balally Luas Station is a pleasant station with a Mace on-​site so as to provide the modern commuter with a speedy means in which to pick up some provisions.

«Ding Ding, Next stop Balally, alight for Dundrum Town Centre» says the Luas announcer lady!
Thats right, THIS is the stop you get off at for Dundrum Town centre, its the closest one to it, well, dundrum is not far off but if its raining you will appreciate a shorter walk from this stop.
Like Aoife pointed out below though, this is the first stop inside zone three meaning you have to pay more than you would if you got off in Dundrum, is this all some clever ploy by the Luas people to get us to spend our money?
If its a nice day I recommend saving some pennies and getting off in Dundrum, this way you will get to walkdown Dundrum main street and see what it looks like before the old shopping centre is knocked down and you get to see all the pretty houses that line the main street!

The meanest Luas stop of them all. It is the stop you are meant to get out at if you are going to the Dundrum Town Centre, despite the fact that the one before it is called Dundrum. Also, it is the first stop in Green Zone Three, which means you have to pay the highest fare to get there. Finally, it is not even that near the centre.