Aoife Granville and Tor Cotton spoke to Ray Darcy about their efforts to save the Phoenix cinema in Dingle town, the last remaining single-screen cinema in rural Ireland.
The O' Sullivan family ran The Phoenix in Dingle for over 40 years and both Aoife and Tor agreed the community were spoilt to have had it all this time. Tor told Ray there is a huge appetite for film in Corca Dhuibhne, on the Dingle Peninsula but that the pandemic combined with the challenges facing single-screen cinemas became too much for the family to withstand.
Filmmaker and communications lecturer Aodh O'Coileáin reflects on the lifetime and legacy of the iconic cinema on The Business on RTÉ Radio One.
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The Phoenix went on the market recently and a group of local people, Aoife and Tor included are hoping to secure the future of the cinema, even though they acknowledge there will be stiff competition in a town of its scale.
Aoife says the cinema is 'too important to let it go without a fight' and despite the fact that the cinema is currently up for sale, the local group are hoping to fundraise funds to keep the cinema open. Tor mentioned one of Ireland's most celebrated actors Cillian Murphy has recently been announced as ambassador for the campaign has showed his unequivocal support for the cause.
Mhínigh Aoife gur pobal ealaíonta é muintir Chorca Dhuibhne agus go bhfuil go leor de na daoine atá ag obair sna healaíona a dúirt nach mbéidís san áit ina bhfuil siad gan an phictiúrlann.
Listen to The Ray Darcy Show on RTÉ Radio One Monday to Friday.
