The Gaiety in O'Connell Street opened Friday 14 February 1936, the enterprise of a Donald McGregor along with Miss Mary Boland who was also the manageress. They previously ran the Rink Cinema in the town. It was designed by E.T. Aiken from Dowling & Aiken and had a balcony, with a terrazzo floor in the foyer. The decorative work was carried out by Patrick McGrath, and the 850-seat auditorium had a Philips Wide Range Sound System installed. The first film to be screened was “Roberta” with “The Mills of the Gods” following on the Sunday. The cinema closed on 7 May 1976 with “Harry and Tonto”. After a period of dereliction it was demolished and the site is now the entrance to Dunnes stores. Films were also screened at the Town Hall until about 1950 when it was damaged by fire.
The Aviator pub closed in February 2016 following a series of brawls but reopened two months later as The Yard after a £180,000 refurbishment. It is managed by Graham and Barbara Yellow and now features a wood-burning pizza oven.
The Brotherhood of Pursuits and Happiness pub opened in the former cinema on 8 November 2014. The centre piece is an exposed section of the old Victorian shopping arcade with a first-floor balcony that serves as a cocktail bar and pool space.
The Regal was home to a Netto supermarket and then a Job Lot supermarket, a concept in shopping whereby the company offers excess or out-of-date stock at a knock-down price. In 2013 the area was bulldozed for a new town centre shopping area that included a Tesco store but not entirely on the site of the cinema.
The auditorium on the lower level was converted to an ice-skating rink in the 1970s with roller-skating on the stage area. It was later the Colossus nightclub which had closed by 2010. The DJ’s Sports Bar posted a message on Facebook in February 2017 thanking punters for their custom so I take it this has now closed. This provides the opportunity for Premier Inn which proposed a hotel for the site in 2015 to take another look at the proposition.
The building was designed by William Davidson along with Messrs Jenkins & Marr and is built from red granite. The foundation stone was laid on 1 September 1900. The hall hosts aerobics, dance classics, kickboxing and dog obedience training, and is available for parties, craft fayres and exhibitions. As of February 2017 two films are screened every fortnight on Sundays and occasionally on Saturdays.
Opening film Sixtus the Fifth and closing film Lure of the South Seas. Named after Glynn Hill who founded Glynn Animated Picture Company with G.E. Bulford. Subsequent uses included a fruit & veg store, a car showroom, House of Holland store, and of course the bar, previously Edwards. It was gutted by fire at some point and was indeed rebuilt as the previous comment suggests.
This cinema is believed to have closed on 31 December 2011 with Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. It was built of coral stone in 1948 and opened in July 1956 with ‘A Man Called Peter’ by the Ali family from Trinidad. I suspect owing to the gap of 8 years this referred to the reopening. It was described as an 1100-seater.
One source states that the Ritz was built on the site of Tynan’s Hotel and that the ballroom had been part of the hotel. The same source states it was the “Cinema” in Burrin Street that burned down on 26 December 1937. At the opening Diana Wynyard received bookends in Connemara marble for her appearance and the evening also included a dress parade by Brennan’s of Dublin. The opening night’s proceeds went to the Bishop Foley Memorial Schools. There was also a restaurant in the basement called The Buttery. More info here: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~irlcar2/The_Ritz_1.htm
The story goes that Saint Colmcille, the prophet, foretold that a building would collapse into the Shannon. On the opening night patrons allegedly sat on the left hand side of cinema as the right hand section overlooked the Shannon. The double-bill for the opening was Deanna Durbin in Three Smart Girls Grow Up and Walt Disney’s Brave Little Tailor. Nearby theatres states nothing within 30 miles but the Adelphi in the town is also on here.
The hall began showing films in 1924 and ceased on 18 February 1961 when Battle Inferno and The Beatniks were screened. Towards the end its rep had become double bills.
More info on the second screen here: www.hackneycitizen.co.uk/2016/12/23/rio-second-third-screen-expansion-plans/. There may even be a chance of a third one later on.
Opened fully 10 October 1997 but had a special charity screening of Disney’s “Hercules” the day before.
The Gaiety in O'Connell Street opened Friday 14 February 1936, the enterprise of a Donald McGregor along with Miss Mary Boland who was also the manageress. They previously ran the Rink Cinema in the town. It was designed by E.T. Aiken from Dowling & Aiken and had a balcony, with a terrazzo floor in the foyer. The decorative work was carried out by Patrick McGrath, and the 850-seat auditorium had a Philips Wide Range Sound System installed. The first film to be screened was “Roberta” with “The Mills of the Gods” following on the Sunday. The cinema closed on 7 May 1976 with “Harry and Tonto”. After a period of dereliction it was demolished and the site is now the entrance to Dunnes stores. Films were also screened at the Town Hall until about 1950 when it was damaged by fire.
The Aviator pub closed in February 2016 following a series of brawls but reopened two months later as The Yard after a £180,000 refurbishment. It is managed by Graham and Barbara Yellow and now features a wood-burning pizza oven.
The Brotherhood of Pursuits and Happiness pub opened in the former cinema on 8 November 2014. The centre piece is an exposed section of the old Victorian shopping arcade with a first-floor balcony that serves as a cocktail bar and pool space.
Cash & Carry closed by September 2016 with building empty.
Estate Agents in September 2016.
Shoe Zone shop in September 2016.
The Regal was home to a Netto supermarket and then a Job Lot supermarket, a concept in shopping whereby the company offers excess or out-of-date stock at a knock-down price. In 2013 the area was bulldozed for a new town centre shopping area that included a Tesco store but not entirely on the site of the cinema.
The auditorium on the lower level was converted to an ice-skating rink in the 1970s with roller-skating on the stage area. It was later the Colossus nightclub which had closed by 2010. The DJ’s Sports Bar posted a message on Facebook in February 2017 thanking punters for their custom so I take it this has now closed. This provides the opportunity for Premier Inn which proposed a hotel for the site in 2015 to take another look at the proposition.
Gracie Fields once lived here as commemorated by the blue plaque. Unable to find any other reference to this cinema.
The building was designed by William Davidson along with Messrs Jenkins & Marr and is built from red granite. The foundation stone was laid on 1 September 1900. The hall hosts aerobics, dance classics, kickboxing and dog obedience training, and is available for parties, craft fayres and exhibitions. As of February 2017 two films are screened every fortnight on Sundays and occasionally on Saturdays.
Opening film Sixtus the Fifth and closing film Lure of the South Seas. Named after Glynn Hill who founded Glynn Animated Picture Company with G.E. Bulford. Subsequent uses included a fruit & veg store, a car showroom, House of Holland store, and of course the bar, previously Edwards. It was gutted by fire at some point and was indeed rebuilt as the previous comment suggests.
This cinema is believed to have closed on 31 December 2011 with Mission Impossible: Ghost Protocol. It was built of coral stone in 1948 and opened in July 1956 with ‘A Man Called Peter’ by the Ali family from Trinidad. I suspect owing to the gap of 8 years this referred to the reopening. It was described as an 1100-seater.
The site was later occupied by the Mark Down supermarket which has now become a branch of W.H.Smith.
Appears to be in use as a launderette as of September 2011.
It is now Gorton Superstore, a cash-and-carry place, see Google Street View.
‘The Ranch’ closed on 26 March 1966. It was also a supermarket for a spell in the 1970s.
The"Shank" opened on 19 December 1910 and closed in October 1958.
One source states that the Ritz was built on the site of Tynan’s Hotel and that the ballroom had been part of the hotel. The same source states it was the “Cinema” in Burrin Street that burned down on 26 December 1937. At the opening Diana Wynyard received bookends in Connemara marble for her appearance and the evening also included a dress parade by Brennan’s of Dublin. The opening night’s proceeds went to the Bishop Foley Memorial Schools. There was also a restaurant in the basement called The Buttery. More info here: http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~irlcar2/The_Ritz_1.htm
A nostalgia page on Facebook cites the dates active for the Adelphi were 1946-1979.
The story goes that Saint Colmcille, the prophet, foretold that a building would collapse into the Shannon. On the opening night patrons allegedly sat on the left hand side of cinema as the right hand section overlooked the Shannon. The double-bill for the opening was Deanna Durbin in Three Smart Girls Grow Up and Walt Disney’s Brave Little Tailor. Nearby theatres states nothing within 30 miles but the Adelphi in the town is also on here.
The Irish Companies website states that the business, the Burren Cinema Co Ltd, was registered on 10 March 1972 and dissolved on 9 May 1989.
More information on the New: the exact opening date was 30 September 1957 and the opening film was Anastasia. It was an 800 seater.
The hall began showing films in 1924 and ceased on 18 February 1961 when Battle Inferno and The Beatniks were screened. Towards the end its rep had become double bills.
More info on the second screen here: www.hackneycitizen.co.uk/2016/12/23/rio-second-third-screen-expansion-plans/. There may even be a chance of a third one later on.