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Irish Examiner
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Plans unveiled for revamp of Dingle cinema bought by Cillian Murphy and Yvonne McGuinness
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 Examiner
18 hours ago
- Entertainment
- 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 Examiner
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Cillian Murphy and Yvonne McGuinness to return Kerry cinema to local community
Actor Cillian Murphy and his wife Yvonne McGuinness plan to return one of the last family-run cinemas in the country back to a 'repurposed' version of its former glory. However, Ms McGuinness told local residents at the first of three public meetings at Dingle's Phoenix Cinema that it won't play host to regular viewing of films like Mr Murphy's blockbuster, Oppenheimer. Although it will host mainstream films at times, Yvonne McGuinness said: "We are not going to accommodate everyone. "Oppenheimer is going to the multiplexes. They won't give it to us unless we screen it three or four times a day and that's not going to happen.' Arts centre plan for Phoenix Cinema The artist said the couple want to reopen the venue as a not-for-profit arts centre, hosting films, concerts, and a range of community events and workshops and 'flexible spaces'. At the Dykegate St venue, she said it will take the couple about three years to repurpose the cinema. They will fund the work themselves as regeneration funding applications in partnership with Kerry County Council work their way through the system. She said: 'We really want to make this work. Cillian and myself are only custodians of the Phoenix. 'Our job is to journey through a new phase to it becoming a not-for-profit arts centre. "It's not about us. It's about protecting a small part of Irish cultural history. These cinema buildings with their iconic frontages were the first cultural infrastructure in Ireland. Like train stations, they were in every town, but instead, these places transported people in creative ways. 'Most of them are disappearing or have been repurposed and we felt compelled to save the Phoenix, because these buildings are part of our cultural identity.' The couple confirmed the purchase of the iconic cinema last November. At the time, Ms McGuinness said the couple planned to increase the venue's 'creative potential'. They bought it after a three-year campaign was launched by locals to save it after Michael O'Sullivan, who had bought it in 1978 and reopened it two years later, shut its doors during the pandemic, in November 2021. He cited, among other reasons, rising costs and falling attendances. Centre could bring new life to Dingle Ms McGuinness also said the couple and their team, including architect Andrew Clancy, see their project as an opportunity to bring life to the town centre of Dingle. 'There could be something that this building does that's bigger than the picture house alone, that's bigger than the cinema,' she said. 'There could be days in the summer where every single part of this building is open and that people can walk through it. "There could be days in the winter where the whole thing is allowing some closed sessions, some conference for people to happen, or artists to gather and exhibit work together. 'There could be times when the cinema is active all the time for films and there could be weeks where it's quite relaxed and it's allowing other things to happen.' History of concerts and dances As well as a cinema, it has also operated as a concert venue and dance hall, playing host to legends such as guitarist Rory Gallagher, since it was opened in 1919. It has also played host to the Dingle International Film Festival, where — in 2010 — Mr Murphy introduced his new film at the time, Perrier's Bounty. Other guests at the festival, held annually in March between 2007 and 2019, included actors Gabriel Byrne, Laura Dern, Aidan Gillen, Sarah Miles, Barry Keoghan, Maureen O Hara, Jack Reynor, and Saoirse Ronan. As well as seeing films at the cinema with his own children, Mr Murphy watched films there as a youth, as did his own father before him.
