Grafton Cinema
Encyclopedia
The Grafton Cinema was a film theatre on Grafton Street in Dublin, Ireland
which operated for over sixty years.
, 11 April 1911, at 72 Grafton Street. It was designed by architect, Richard Francis Caulfield Orpen, brother of painter, William Orpen
. Continuous performances ran from 12.00 to 10.30pm each day. Admission was one shilling for adults; children were charged half-price. Among the films shown during its first year was The Crusaders, which depicted the medieval conquest of Jerusalem by European armies
. Dublin received its first presentation of "talking pictures"
in April 1914 when Thomas Edison
's Kinetophone
technology was demonstrated at the Grafton. In late 1913 or early 1914, nationalists
disrupted the programme on several occasions due to the inclusion of a British Army recruitment film.
Robert Flaherty's documentary film
, Man of Aran
, received its Irish première at the Grafton on 6 May 1934. Éamon de Valera
, President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State
attended, as well as various dignitaries from politics and the arts.
by its new owner, the British chain, Capital and Provincial News Theatres Ltd. Instead of the full-length feature films which had previously been the staple of the cinema's listings, it now ran continuous programmes of newsreel
s, cartoons
, and short films featuring comedy acts such as The Three Stooges and Joe McDoakes
.
During the 1960s, the Grafton also became a popular late-night venue for folk
and traditional Irish music concerts, featuring artists such as Sean Nós
singer, Seosamh Ó hÉanaí, fiddler
, Martin Fay
, and tin whistle
player, Seán Potts
. In August 1963, The Dubliners
made one of their first appearances together when they performed in a midnight concert at the cinema. Six months later, Ewan MacColl
and Peggy Seeger
made their Dublin début at the Grafton.
, a clothing retailer.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
which operated for over sixty years.
Early years
Known originally as the Grafton Picture House, the cinema opened on Easter MondayEaster Monday
Easter Monday is the day after Easter Sunday and is celebrated as a holiday in some largely Christian cultures, especially Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox cultures...
, 11 April 1911, at 72 Grafton Street. It was designed by architect, Richard Francis Caulfield Orpen, brother of painter, William Orpen
William Orpen
Major Sir William Newenham Montague Orpen, KBE, RA, RHA was an Irish portrait painter, who worked mainly in London...
. Continuous performances ran from 12.00 to 10.30pm each day. Admission was one shilling for adults; children were charged half-price. Among the films shown during its first year was The Crusaders, which depicted the medieval conquest of Jerusalem by European armies
First Crusade
The First Crusade was a military expedition by Western Christianity to regain the Holy Lands taken in the Muslim conquest of the Levant, ultimately resulting in the recapture of Jerusalem...
. Dublin received its first presentation of "talking pictures"
Sound film
A sound film is a motion picture with synchronized sound, or sound technologically coupled to image, as opposed to a silent film. The first known public exhibition of projected sound films took place in Paris in 1900, but decades would pass before sound motion pictures were made commercially...
in April 1914 when Thomas Edison
Thomas Edison
Thomas Alva Edison was an American inventor and businessman. He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. In addition, he created the world’s first industrial...
's Kinetophone
Kinetoscope
The Kinetoscope is an early motion picture exhibition device. Though not a movie projector—it was designed for films to be viewed individually through the window of a cabinet housing its components—the Kinetoscope introduced the basic approach that would become the standard for all cinematic...
technology was demonstrated at the Grafton. In late 1913 or early 1914, nationalists
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
disrupted the programme on several occasions due to the inclusion of a British Army recruitment film.
Robert Flaherty's documentary film
Documentary film
Documentary films constitute a broad category of nonfictional motion pictures intended to document some aspect of reality, primarily for the purposes of instruction or maintaining a historical record...
, Man of Aran
Man of Aran
Man of Aran is a fictional documentary by Robert J. Flaherty about life on the Aran Islands off the western coast of Ireland. It portrays characters living in premodern conditions, documenting their daily routines such as fishing off high cliffs, farming potatoes where there is little soil, and...
, received its Irish première at the Grafton on 6 May 1934. Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera
Éamon de Valera was one of the dominant political figures in twentieth century Ireland, serving as head of government of the Irish Free State and head of government and head of state of Ireland...
, President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State
President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State
The President of the Executive Council of the Irish Free State was the head of government or prime minister of the Irish Free State which existed from 1922 to 1937...
attended, as well as various dignitaries from politics and the arts.
Relaunch
On 18 September 1959, the Grafton Cinema was relaunched as a news and cartoon cinemaNews cinema
A news cinema is a cinema specialising in short films, shown in a continuous manner. However, despite its name, a news cinema does not necessarily show only cinematographical news .- Timeline :...
by its new owner, the British chain, Capital and Provincial News Theatres Ltd. Instead of the full-length feature films which had previously been the staple of the cinema's listings, it now ran continuous programmes of newsreel
Newsreel
A newsreel was a form of short documentary film prevalent in the first half of the 20th century, regularly released in a public presentation place and containing filmed news stories and items of topical interest. It was a source of news, current affairs and entertainment for millions of moviegoers...
s, cartoons
Animated cartoon
An animated cartoon is a short, hand-drawn film for the cinema, television or computer screen, featuring some kind of story or plot...
, and short films featuring comedy acts such as The Three Stooges and Joe McDoakes
Joe McDoakes
Joe McDoakes is the protagonist of a series of 63 black and white live action comedy one reel short subjects released between 1942 and 1956. The Joe McDoakes shorts are also known as the Behind the Eight Ball series or the So You Want... series...
.
During the 1960s, the Grafton also became a popular late-night venue for folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
and traditional Irish music concerts, featuring artists such as Sean Nós
Sean-nós song
Sean-nós is a highly ornamented style of unaccompanied traditional Irish singing. It is a sean-nós activity, which also includes sean-nós dancing...
singer, Seosamh Ó hÉanaí, fiddler
Fiddle
The term fiddle may refer to any bowed string musical instrument, most often the violin. It is also a colloquial term for the instrument used by players in all genres, including classical music...
, Martin Fay
Martin Fay
Martin Fay is an Irish fiddler and bones player, and a former member of The Chieftains.In 1962 he became one of the founding members of The Chieftains. In 2001, he decided to stop touring with the group, limiting his appearances with the group to events in Ireland.-External links:*...
, and tin whistle
Tin whistle
The tin whistle, also called the penny whistle, English Flageolet, Scottish penny whistle, Tin Flageolet, Irish whistle and Clarke London Flageolet is a simple six-holed woodwind instrument. It is an end blown fipple flute, putting it in the same category as the recorder, American Indian flute, and...
player, Seán Potts
Sean Potts
Seán Potts is an Irish musician. He is a native of Drimnagh and was born there in 1930. He is best known for his outstanding tin whistle playing and his duty with The Chieftains from 1962 to 1979.- With The Chieftains :...
. In August 1963, The Dubliners
The Dubliners
The Dubliners are an Irish folk band founded in 1962.-Formation and history:The Dubliners, initially known as "The Ronnie Drew Ballad Group", formed in 1962 and made a name for themselves playing regularly in O'Donoghue's Pub in Dublin...
made one of their first appearances together when they performed in a midnight concert at the cinema. Six months later, Ewan MacColl
Ewan MacColl
Ewan MacColl was an English folk singer, songwriter, socialist, actor, poet, playwright, and record producer. He was married to theatre director Joan Littlewood, and later to American folksinger Peggy Seeger. He collaborated with Littlewood in the theatre and with Seeger in folk music...
and Peggy Seeger
Peggy Seeger
Margaret "Peggy" Seeger is an American folksinger. She is also well known in Britain, where she lived for more than 30 years with her husband, singer and songwriter Ewan MacColl.- The first American period :...
made their Dublin début at the Grafton.
Closure
By the early 1970s, rental incomes and property values in Grafton Street had risen significantly due to intensifying competition within the retail sector in one of the city's prime shopping districts. Vendors of freehold properties on the street, such as the Grafton Cinema, could realise substantial capital gains. This was borne out in November 1973 when the cinema was sold for £400,000, regarded as a high price at the time. On 1 December, its fifteen staff were made redundant and the Grafton Cinema closed its doors for the last time. Shortly afterwards it was converted into a retail outlet. The site is now occupied by a branch of Karen MillenKaren Millen
Karen Millen is an Icelandic owned women’s designer clothing brand, specialising in tailoring, coats and eveningwear. Karen Millen stores are found throughout the United Kingdom, America, Austria, Denmark, the Republic of Ireland and many other European countries.-History:The company was founded in...
, a clothing retailer.