Shield Cinema

In the small port of Ardglass, County Down, the multi-function Shield Hall opened in 1932.

At some time it was acquired by the local Milligan family. On 23rd August 1945 it was converted by Gerry Milligan into the Shield Cinema. The opening film was John Clements & Ralph Richardson in “The Four Feathers”. However, although there were several, fixed, tiered rows of seating at the rear, the main floor was left flat, so the seats could be removed and dances and other functions could be held. The projectors were originally installed in the Imperial Cinema, Belfast, which had opened in December 1914.

In a nice touch, “The Four Feathers” was also the final film, when the cinema closed in 1963.

Dances continued into the 1970’s, but the building, still owned by the family, was then converted into a bakery and general store.

When I visited, in August 2019, the two Simplex 35mm projectors were gently rusting away in an outside store. The projection room was used as an office, and one of the ports had been filled in. But the original spiral staircase leading up to the projection box was still in use.

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