'It's part of me': night swimming with surfer Al Mennie

3 hours ago

Opera in the Open, an initiative of Dublin City Council, are free live performances in the city centre that run every Thursday in August on Wood Quay.

Hashtags

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Plans unveiled for revamp of Phoenix cinema in Dingle

Irish Examiner

an hour ago

Irish Examiner

Plans unveiled for revamp of Phoenix cinema in Dingle

The developers behind the proposed arts centre for the former Phoenix Cinema in Dingle unveiled a preliminary design for the new venue at a meeting in the Co Kerry town at the weekend. Yvonne McGuinness, who had purchased the premises in 2024 with her husband, actor Cillian Murphy, was joined by planning consultant Laura Brock and architect Andrew Clancy in the second of a series of three public meetings they are hosting at the Phoenix. This 'sketching' phase of the consultations had an almost-full cinema witness the unveiling of a potential model for the new venue, and a discussion of its possible uses. Yvonne McGuinness and Cillian Murphy last year bought the iconic Phoenix Cinema in Dingle which had shut during the covid lockdown in 2021. File picture The ambitious plans for the approximately one-acre site include the addition of building of similar height next to the existing three-story cinema, the enhancement of the outdoor courtyard area, and the creation of exhibition and rehearsal spaces, as well as several residential studios for artists. The current main cinema area would be transformed into a state-of-the-art performance space with removable seating that would allow for films and theatre performances, as a well as music gigs. Yvonne McGunness, centre, at the consultation session at the Phoenix cinema in Dingle on Saturday, with planning consultant Laura Brock, left, and architect Andrew Clancy, right. Picture: Manuela Dei Grandi 'We are building less than what a commercial developer would, but we're building a good bit more than what Cillian and Yvonne would have ever envisaged at the start,' said Mr Clancy, a director at Dublin-based Clancy Moore Architects. No budget was mentioned for what would likely be a multi-year, multimillion euro project, but those involved in the development are mindful of trying to ensure the planning process is as streamlined as possible. Ms McGuinness — a respected artist who has a house in the area — and her team are aiming to have their plans for the venue finalised in the coming months to avail of regeneration grants being awarded in spring 2026. The current co-owner urged local people in Dingle to engage with the development team as early as possible to identify any potential issues. 'I've done a postcard drop. I've called into every street around here myself,' said Ms McGuinness of efforts to spread the word on their proposals. Having opened in 1919, the Phoenix in Dingle served as a cinema, concert hall, and events centre for more than a century for the whole community including these revellers at the Sea Angling Festival Dance in August, 1958. File picture The final instalment of the local consultation sessions will take place near the end of September when more-detailed plans will be presented. The early proposals at the Saturday meeting seemed to be warmly received by attendees at the Phoenix, with issues raised such as the lack of facilities for the youth of the town, and the need for the building to be accessible for the elderly and people with disabilities. The architect confirmed the proposed new building would have a lift, and that upstairs rooms would be accessible and available for local organisations to avail of. The Phoenix Cinema in Dingle. Mr Clancy also outlined the sustainable ethos of the new premises, with heat pumps as the primary source of heating, as well as the use of materials such as Irish timber, and low-carbon forms of cladding. The Phoenix had been put on the market by previous owners, the O'Sullivan family, after its closure during the first Covid lockdown in November 2021. It had operated as a cinema and entertainment venue for over 100 years, being reborn twice after fires — hence the name 'Phoenix'. Cillian Murphy himself had visited the cinema in 2010 for a screening of his film Perrier's Bounty, and other luminaries who have appeared at the venue include Rory Gallagher, who played there with the Fontana showband in 1964.

Irish Times

3 hours ago

Irish Times