The Fairview Grand was founded by World War I veteran Leonard Ging, who would go on to establish a chain of cinemas around Dublin with his partners Patrick Whelan and Joseph Lyons. This cinema was opened in November 1929 by Senator Alfie Byrne, after whom a nearby road is named. In its early days neighbourhood children could apparently barter admission by bringing two large jam jars with them to a show!
Like other small cinemas in Dublin, Fairview suffered from the advent of television, with attendances dwindling from the 1960s onwards. The Fairview Grand lasted longer than most though, staying opening until the early 1990s. The screen was used for a time by Buena Vista Ireland for movie preview screenings, but it seems to have fallen into disuse. The ground floor has been occupied by a Tesco Express for the last year or so.Tomorrow: La Scala/Capitol Theatre
References:
Left: G.A. Duncan
Jim Keenan, Dublin Cinemas: A Pictorial Selection (2005)
I would love to see some shots of the inside of the cinema. Would bring back some great childhood memories.
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