Cinemas That Are No More

chakotha

The Pavillion
The Capital / The Mini
The Lee
The Classic
The Cameo
The Palace
The Savoy

TheScribbler

Nice to get the Cork memory list. Anyone any memories of suburban and rural cinemas in Cork eg Douglas, Kinsale, Midleton etc?

icdg

superfly wrote: »

are you talking about The Lighthouse and The Adelphi?

also the Carlton on O'Connell st

The Lighthouse (or at least, a cinema with the same title and idea) has recently reopened in Smithfield, though I don't know how its doing - it would seem to be a daft place for a cinema as its out of the way of the passing footfall and would probably only get people going there purposely and/or locals.

What about the Odeon on Eden Quay. That closed in the 1980s/early 1990s and eventually became the Laughter Lounge?

The legal name of the company operating the Virgin/UGC/Cineworld multiplex on Parnell Street was for many years still "Adelphi-Carlton Limited" reflecting its parentage as supposedly a merger of the two older cinemas. The company is still registered but I don't know if it is still running the cinema.

TheScribbler

I had quite forgotten about the Odeon. Can anyone help me out here. Was there a cinema in Dundrum town centre at one time? There was also one in Ranelagh I seem to recall

chakotha

TheScribbler wrote: »

Nice to get the Cork memory list. Anyone any memories of suburban and rural cinemas in Cork eg Douglas, Kinsale, Midleton etc?

There was the Oakwood in Carrigaline. That's the only one I might know of.

The Coliseum was another one in Cork even if yeeears ago.

superfly

icdg wrote: »

What about the Odeon on Eden Quay. That closed in the 1980s/early 1990s and eventually became the Laughter Lounge?

that became Astor Video (i think?) in the 90's

admiralofthefleet

i remember seeing who framed roger rabbit in the fairview cinema in 1988, it still operates as a cinema but not to the public

Papillon!

living close to the old stella in rathmines now. wish it was still open but found out on boards that theres a new cinema in progress of being built now so im happy.

remember going to the blue moon cinema in roscommon a couple of times as a kid. dingy old place that scared the bejaysus out of me but would love to go back and see it again! we've no cinema at all in roscommon now.its a crime!:eek:

TheScribbler

I gather that Wicklow doesn't have one either pending some new multiplex's being completed

TheScribbler

The old Stella in Rathmines was wonderful even if it was a bit dog eared. It was of its time! I haven't heard from too many beople in West of Ireland about nostalgic cinemas. I wonder if people in Donegal, Mayo and Galway might also let us have their memories.

Fey!

In Galway we had the Claddagh Palace (formerly the Estoria), which hosted the Galway Film Fleadh up to its demise, when it became yet more apartments. I fondly remember pulling pints in the marque in the carpark during the Fleadh, and the guy who was always busking as you queued outside before each film.

We also had the Town Hall, which was done up and is now our local theatre.

Both of these places were pretty dirty and nasty!

preamp

Anyone remember the forum in Glasthule, Dun Laoghaire, its gone a good few years now though

transylman

TheScribbler wrote: »

The old Stella in Rathmines was wonderful even if it was a bit dog eared. It was of its time! I haven't heard from too many beople in West of Ireland about nostalgic cinemas. I wonder if people in Donegal, Mayo and Galway might also let us have their memories.

Ballyhaunis was a nice classic 2 screen cinema. Compared to modern cinemas the main theater seemed huge. There were also no age restrictions so I got to watch 18s movies in ns. Before the film started they used to show a rotating film with pictures of old planes flying over skyscrapers.

Only problem was it was weeks behind on the new releases and that seemed to get worse (or at least more noticeable) as the years went on, until it closed around 2000 i think.

TheScribbler

I remember the Forum in Glasthule back in the 60s & 70s when it tried to become an art cinema but wasn't especially good at it. The routine was often one of grabbing a wimpy in Dun Laoghaire, off to the Forum and then on to the Queens in Dalkey

ghost_ie

The old Fairview Cinema where we spent happy Saturday afternoons watching James Bond. And I remember being taken to the cinema in Grafton Street to watch cartoons as a Christmas treat in the late 50's early 60's. Wasn't there a cinema in Talbot Street in the 60's called Cinerama?

TheScribbler

You are right about the Cinerama in Talbot Street. It was nestled under the railway bridge. I went to see 'Paint Your Wagon' There (or as my girlfriend at the time called it - 'Paint Your Wogan.' I can't remember what the cinema was originally called. Was it the Talbot?

babbler

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

The one in Lucan down by the bridge

And what was the other one on Abbey St, with the tiny screen upstairs with all the foreign films ? Diva and Betty Blue were each there for ages

And the other other one in Abbey St. which had Mad Max for ages too.

I went to see Diva with my class in school to that cinema - it wasn't the Adelphi was it? I saw ET in the Adelphi and there were so many people waiting, the queue went up Abbey St and around the corner to O'Connell St. We missed the first showing 'cos of the queue and I went to the GPO to ring home to say I would be late. When we finally got to the door of the cinema, all I could see were people bawling their eyes out coming out from the film.

Glas Smaragaide

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

The one in Lucan down by the bridge

And what was the other one on Abbey St, with the tiny screen upstairs with all the foreign films ? Diva and Betty Blue were each there for ages

And the other other one in Abbey St. which had Mad Max for ages too.

It was called the Curzon (a 2 screen site) and they played Diva for 2 years straight to packed out audiences every night. The French ambassador came over for one of the shows of that film! Unfortunately it went the same way as alot of the older cinemas in the mid 80's but they were great days when they lasted

120_Minutes

The ritz in athlone which closed in the 80's. i only ever went there once as a kid to see jungle book.

then the showcase 4 screen cinema where the texas centre now is. i used to work there as a leaving cert/college student, my dad also managed it. he still has a few posters, trailers and single movie frames from the place.

r3nu4l

TheScribbler wrote: »

That is as far as my uncertain memory takes me. Any others folks?

Capt'n Midnight wrote: »

The one in Lucan down by the bridge

there's a whole thread on the cinema in Lucan in the Dublin County West forum, including a picture of the cinema The new Ulster Bank stands on the old site now.

I used to love going there although towards the end it was a bit grim alright, leaks in the ceiling and the odd rat, as well as the freezing cold. Great times though!! I miss it

TheScribbler

Thanks for your input on Athlone and Lucan cinemas. It is interesting but I haven't yet encountered anyone who looks on these former institutions with anything but affection. My only reservation about them was being forced into '2 in a seat' for half price on a Saturday afternoons. Wasn't much fun if you were stuck next to some smelly kid with a big ass and an attitude problem!

merlie

The cinema's I remember but are no longer:

The Classic - The only movie I went to see there was a ballet feature, Swan Lake' when I was young and at the time I was learning ballet.

The Stella in Rathmines - I went with my class to see 'A Man for All Seasons' there.

The Adelphi

The Metropole in O'Connell Street

The Corinthian in Eden Quay- I always like the name of this cinema.

The Kenilworth in Harold's Cross - The last time I went there was to see' Inspector Gadget, and they still had intermissions.


The Royal in Rathmines - This cinema was next door to the, now also long gone, the Gas Corner shop on Rathmines Road. It had an accordion gated front when I saw it many years ago and had long closed. It was a small looking cinema from the front. Does anyone remember it?

Oh aside of remembering cinema's but very much a part of it and a long gone tradition was during intermissions there would always be someone with a tray of sweets, ice creams and drinks to serve you down the steps from your seat. I always remember getting my favourite ice pop there called Orange Crush which was in a gold foil wrapper. Does anyone remember that?

Cheers

TheScribbler

Merlie it seems that you are as big a sucker ofr nostalgia as the rest of us. I remember the building in Rathmines but never attended the cinema. However I did go to the Stella a lot (it was when girls began to become more important - the back row presented some semblence of privacy).

The intervals you referred to were the product of contemporary management practice as much as an opportunity to sell consumables. In those days cinemas usually carried two feature films in a 3 hour performance. Beginning with the advertisements (and goodness some of them were dreadful), this was followed by the main feature. I understand that on many poorly equipped cinemas it could take around 10 minutes to load up and set the second feature film ready for screening. Thus the ice cream maids were deployed to keep the audience focused and to part with some extra cash. It became common practice to have 15 minute intervals.

Ice creams (Palm Grove and HB vanilla tubs) were particular favourites along with Patsi Pops. However the arrival of Orange Maid in the late 1950s appeared to narrow the offering somewhat. Having said that many independent operators concentrated on selling confectionery, and even cigarettes. It must have been hard work for those girls as the weight of the trays were considerable, even if they were supported by a strap around the neck. What would our modern focus on Health & Safety (Elphin Safety as Jeremy Clarkson calls it) make of such services?

However it was the total cinema experience that made it the highlight of weekly entertainment for most of us and I for one certainly mourn its passing.

TheScribbler

From time to time many cinemas (especially in Dublin) adopted new technical advancements and novelties to stimulate cuctomer box office receipts. The Cineramas of the 60s and 70s were a prime example of such segmentation. Ironically the first cinema to advertise and feature 3D films (where they issued people with cardboard specs with red and blue lenses) was not a city centre based cinema but the De Luxe in Camden Street.

GerardKeating

TheScribbler wrote: »

Ironically the first cinema to advertise and feature 3D films (where they issued people with cardboard specs with red and blue lenses) was not a city centre based cinema but the De Luxe in Camden Street.

Never remember the De Luxe as a cinema, it later became a snooker hall downstairs and home to "The Big D" radio station in the old projection booth.

TheScribbler

The De Luxe was an odd place really. Although based within walking distance of the many city centre cinemas and had pretensions in that direction, it was more like an urban cinema such as the Kenilworth & The Classic

GerardKeating

merlie wrote: »

The cinema's I remember but are no longer:

The Classic - The only movie I went to see there was a ballet feature, Swan Lake' when I was young and at the time I was learning ballet.

The Stella in Rathmines - I went with my class to see 'A Man for All Seasons' there.

The Adelphi

The Metropole in O'Connell Street

The Corinthian in Eden Quay- I always like the name of this cinema.

The Kenilworth in Harold's Cross - The last time I went there was to see' Inspector Gadget, and they still had intermissions.


The Royal in Rathmines - This cinema was next door to the, now also long gone, the Gas Corner shop on Rathmines Road. It had an accordion gated front when I saw it many years ago and had long closed. It was a small looking cinema from the front. Does anyone remember it?

Oh aside of remembering cinema's but very much a part of it and a long gone tradition was during intermissions there would always be someone with a tray of sweets, ice creams and drinks to serve you down the steps from your seat. I always remember getting my favourite ice pop there called Orange Crush which was in a gold foil wrapper. Does anyone remember that?

Cheers

And the Green Cinema (on St Stephen Green)...

TheScribbler

Yes Gerard it was a lot like the old Green Cinema, a place for which I have particular memories, along with the former Cartoon Cinema in Grafton Street. I went to boarding school in Stephens Green and would occasionally bunk out unnoticed to see a movie at the Green.

empirix

trad wrote: »

The Bohemian in Phibsboro aka the fleehouse, says it all. The State areound the corner where Des Kelly is. The Grand in Cabra, now a bingo hall. Never strayed beyond these when I was a kid.

The Bohemian => was it called that? anyway, the Ramones played there and there was a big riot inside - cool!!

TheScribbler

Hi Folks

The response to this thread has been quite amazing in recent weeks as people have poured out their childhood memories and I suspect the odd tear or two as well.

Well I couldn't resist the temptation to keep it rolling a bit longer. To that end I wonder if anyone can remember the amazing promotions that local cinemas used to employ to keep us engaged as loyal pocket money rendering customers, albeit we never saw it in such cavalier terms?

Can anyone remember Saturday afternoon matinees with clowns in the interval between the 'B' features? Who can remember the Billy Panama yo-yo demonstrations that had us all pestering our parents for days to buy the 'must have' toy of the moment.

Anyone?