Dublin independent cinema the Light House set to cease operating from city centre location.
Established in 1988 and built on the site of the former Curzon cinema, independent cinema the Light House on Middle Abbey Street is to close making way for an expansion of Arnott's department store.
Multiplexes have led to the demise of Dublin cinemas such as the Carlton and Adelphi but Light House co-managers Neil Connolly and Maretta Dillon are determined the closure of their cinema will be temporary.
The Light House accommodates 360 people and screens films that may otherwise not get a release in Ireland. This antidote to Hollywood fare attracts not only Dublin people, but also those from further afield. Support for a new home for the Light House is great.
Letters are flowing in saying that they’ll be standing outside the door waiting for us to re-open the doors.
To achieve this end, as well as putting in their own money, Neil Connolly and Maretta Dillon are looking for investment and applying for appropriate public and EU funding.
We do need to send out the message that we want people who believe that’s appropriate and legitimate to stand up and say so.
In 2008 the Light House was re-launched in a new venue at Smithfield in Dublin.
An RTÉ News report broadcast on 27 September 1996. The reporter is Colm Connolly.
