The Bohemia appears to have been a three-tier house with 202 seats in the balcony, 180 in the stalls and 50 in the pit. The Kine Year Book lists it as the Ardee Cinema for the first few years of operation. It closed in 1979.
Affectionately known as Martin’s after its owner Martin Fleming, but latterly run by Brigid Fleming and a Mrs Roche with seating reduced to 300. Also staged boxing tournaments and plays, no advertising after 1967.
The Savoy was operating as a cinema from at least 1945 and was originally run but the Roscrea & Athy Cinema Company. It was renovated in 1981 at a cost of £25,000. It was up for sale in 1986 and originally closed in 1989. It was reopened by Aidan Doyle on 3 August 1990 when the first film said to be shown was “Pretty Woman”. Tickets for the 450-seater were just £1 for matinee screenings. It is unclear when it closed for the final time.
Yet more information. Closed in December 1994 when the new Omniplex opened and was demolished in May 1995. Sounds like it was owned by Ward Anderson from mid-1970s. A newspaper report stated it consisted of three “theatres”.
It was announced in November 1945 that the Abbey would be open in a matter of weeks. The cinema also had a ballroom attached which opened on 5 May 1946 with the Kingdom Dance Band performing. Like the old Abbey it was run by the Tobin Brothers. It has been derelict since the 1980s and is a listed building. Contrary to the above it was listed in the Kine Year Books from 1949 until 1971!
Cinema Killarney opened as the Cineplex on 20 December 1996 with 800 seats across four screens (screen 1 had the largest with 320), although the official opening wasn’t until 6 February 1997. The IR£2 million venture was built on the site of the old Lakes Cinema and was then a joint enterprise between the Cooper family and the Ward Anderson circuit. A fifth screen was added around 2006. The cinema was brought to book in 2008 for discriminating against a woman who was breast-feeding in the cinema and ordered to pay compensation. It is run by the grandson of the owner of the old Casino/Lakes Cinema Thomas Cooper.
One source states the cinema was still operating until 1967. The County Council bought the property in 1968 to use as a factory to process industrial waste but sold it again in 1976.
The Hibernian opened on 20 May 1945 with “In Society”, an Abbott and Costello film, and was designed by Michael Scott from Dublin. It was run by County Cinemas and most of the staff came from the County Cinema including the manager Packy Holmes. It had a Western Electric sound system fitted along with 920 seats (250 of them in the semi-circular balcony) although this had been reduced to 770 by 1971. It closed at the end of 1988 to be converted into a twin-screen cinema and reopened as the Ritz on 3 March 1989. The film “Cocktail” with Tom Cruise was one of the films shown in the new 310-seat house. It is believed to have closed in 2002 shortly before the IMC opened in the town.
The Erne opened on 7 October 1946, a month before the Abbey with “The Valley of Decision” starring Greer Garson and Gregory Peck. A fire closed the cinema in 1969 when the balcony and roof were damaged. The Rock Hall in the town was brought back into service for screenings on a temporary basis but it looks like the Erne never reopened. There was talk of it being used as a factory for fishing equipment.
The Abbey opened on 17 November 1946 designed as a theatre and cinema. Previews were held for specially invited guests the day before when “Saratoga Trunk” was shown. It must have closed for films at some point in the 1960s as it was opened again on 30 November 1969 by a Mr O'Connell, probably as a result of the Erne having been damaged by fire.
The Classic opened on 29 January 1987 and was a reopening of the Astor Cinema that closed about two years earlier. The Astor was first listed in the 1949 edition of the Kine Year Book and run by the Coffeys who also had another Astor in Coalisland. It originally had 500 seats and an AWH, later RCA, sound system.
The building was flattened in April 1961.
Savoy was two screens from 1979 following a change of ownership. Opening films “The Champ” and “A Bridge Too Far”.
The Bohemia appears to have been a three-tier house with 202 seats in the balcony, 180 in the stalls and 50 in the pit. The Kine Year Book lists it as the Ardee Cinema for the first few years of operation. It closed in 1979.
Affectionately known as Martin’s after its owner Martin Fleming, but latterly run by Brigid Fleming and a Mrs Roche with seating reduced to 300. Also staged boxing tournaments and plays, no advertising after 1967.
The Savoy was operating as a cinema from at least 1945 and was originally run but the Roscrea & Athy Cinema Company. It was renovated in 1981 at a cost of £25,000. It was up for sale in 1986 and originally closed in 1989. It was reopened by Aidan Doyle on 3 August 1990 when the first film said to be shown was “Pretty Woman”. Tickets for the 450-seater were just £1 for matinee screenings. It is unclear when it closed for the final time.
Architect for the scheme was Frank Gibney.
The Omniplex opened on 6 July 2007.
Yet more information. Closed in December 1994 when the new Omniplex opened and was demolished in May 1995. Sounds like it was owned by Ward Anderson from mid-1970s. A newspaper report stated it consisted of three “theatres”.
Exact opening date 12 May 1947.
It was announced in November 1945 that the Abbey would be open in a matter of weeks. The cinema also had a ballroom attached which opened on 5 May 1946 with the Kingdom Dance Band performing. Like the old Abbey it was run by the Tobin Brothers. It has been derelict since the 1980s and is a listed building. Contrary to the above it was listed in the Kine Year Books from 1949 until 1971!
Cinema Killarney opened as the Cineplex on 20 December 1996 with 800 seats across four screens (screen 1 had the largest with 320), although the official opening wasn’t until 6 February 1997. The IR£2 million venture was built on the site of the old Lakes Cinema and was then a joint enterprise between the Cooper family and the Ward Anderson circuit. A fifth screen was added around 2006. The cinema was brought to book in 2008 for discriminating against a woman who was breast-feeding in the cinema and ordered to pay compensation. It is run by the grandson of the owner of the old Casino/Lakes Cinema Thomas Cooper.
One source states the cinema was still operating until 1967. The County Council bought the property in 1968 to use as a factory to process industrial waste but sold it again in 1976.
The Palace was operating in 1929 as can be seen by the newspaper ad. No record after 1941 when Lyons and Doris opened the Odeon.
THIS CINEMA IS CLOSED
The Hibernian opened on 20 May 1945 with “In Society”, an Abbott and Costello film, and was designed by Michael Scott from Dublin. It was run by County Cinemas and most of the staff came from the County Cinema including the manager Packy Holmes. It had a Western Electric sound system fitted along with 920 seats (250 of them in the semi-circular balcony) although this had been reduced to 770 by 1971. It closed at the end of 1988 to be converted into a twin-screen cinema and reopened as the Ritz on 3 March 1989. The film “Cocktail” with Tom Cruise was one of the films shown in the new 310-seat house. It is believed to have closed in 2002 shortly before the IMC opened in the town.
The building was believed to have been a conversion of a garage and was still screening films in August 1972 but there is no advertising after this.
The Odeon opened on 9 October 1941 and had been twinned by 1985. It closed around 1994 and was later demolished.
Stafford’s closed on 21 January 1948, two days before the Adelphi opened. The last film to be shown was “The Letter” with Bette Davis.
The Adelphi opened on 23 January 1948.
The Rock Hall was brought back into service in 1969 on a temporary basis when fire damaged the Erne Cinema.
The Erne opened on 7 October 1946, a month before the Abbey with “The Valley of Decision” starring Greer Garson and Gregory Peck. A fire closed the cinema in 1969 when the balcony and roof were damaged. The Rock Hall in the town was brought back into service for screenings on a temporary basis but it looks like the Erne never reopened. There was talk of it being used as a factory for fishing equipment.
The Abbey opened on 17 November 1946 designed as a theatre and cinema. Previews were held for specially invited guests the day before when “Saratoga Trunk” was shown. It must have closed for films at some point in the 1960s as it was opened again on 30 November 1969 by a Mr O'Connell, probably as a result of the Erne having been damaged by fire.
The Classic opened on 29 January 1987 and was a reopening of the Astor Cinema that closed about two years earlier. The Astor was first listed in the 1949 edition of the Kine Year Book and run by the Coffeys who also had another Astor in Coalisland. It originally had 500 seats and an AWH, later RCA, sound system.
The State will be used to host an event as part of the Hidden Door Festival at the end of May.
A study of cultural cinema in Ireland reveals that in 2001 the Abbey had 2 screens and 259 seats.