As Cinema Treasures phrases it, “Designed by Robinson & Keefe and opened in April 1938 the Carlton Cinema stands opposite the Savoy Cinema in Dublins' principal thoroughfare O' Connell Street.An exercise in restrained Art Deco the simple lines of the facade have stood the test of time well, even though the building was shuttered in 1995. Inside the decoration relied principally on the use of paint and lighting but two large displays with a musical instrument motif were formed of twenty panels on either side of the screen.
It had 2,000 seats when built. In latter years it was well known for horror movies. The cinema had a cafe and some limited stage facilities, and it was used for concerts from time to time.A stage and dressing rooms were included in the design. The cinema was sub-divided and later closed in 1995.
Since then it has been the subject of court battles to redevelop the site and in 2003 was Compulsoraly Purchased by the city council to facilitate a new project on the site of the cinema and an adjoining area which has been vacant since 1976.”
It replaced an earlier cinema built in 1915 and which closed in 1934. The opening film was "The Awful Truth" with Irene Dunn and Cary Grant and the cinema opened on Easter Saturday 1938.
About O'Connell Street : it is one of the widest streets in Europe. The GPO located halfway up the street was the headquarters of the Irish provisional Government in the 1916 Rebellion. The bridge is the only bridge in Europe that is wider than it is long.Today O'Connell Street has everything from fast-food joints to expensive restaurants and from small boutiques to big department stores (source: Irish Architecture)
Photograph: 1994
Adress: 52-54 Upper O' Connell Street, Dublin, Ireland
Status: Closed
