Osborn Cinema

Situated on the outskirts of Lahinch, a small town on Liscannor Bay, on the northwest coast of County Clare, Slúgha Hall, or Sluagh Hall, was a military building constructed circa 1939, at a time when the west coast of Ireland was considered vulnerable.

During World War II it was used by the Local Defence Forces. The building was quite long, and there were other ancillary structures (pavilions and sheds) around it.

After the war, it was used as a community hall and became a popular location for dances, plays and musicals. It also acted as a church in the early-1950’s when renovations were taking place in two local churches.

The hall closed in 2014 and was demolished the following year. The whole five acre site had been acquired by Lahinch Golf Club, which transformed it into a short game practice area.

A photograph of the hall in the archive of the Cinema Theatre Association has, endorsed on the reverse, “Osborn Cinema 1941-1960”. The local library has provided very helpful background information about the hall, but had no knowledge of this cinema operation - other than to confirm it must have been part-time only, with the films interspersed with the other social activities. (I understand there has never been a full-time cinema in the nearest towns, Milltown Malbay and Ennistymon.) The cinema’s quoted opening date certainly ties in with the hall’s construction.

Unfortunately, the name Osborn was not known either, so it is unclear whether this was the operator’s name.

Perhaps another contributor will be able to shed some light on this rather obscure, but fascinating, cinema.

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