Full house audience ends 47 years of Kilcullen cinema 'darkness'

If any proof is needed that there's an appetite for cinema in Kilcullen, the full house at last night's inaugural Kilcullen Bridge Cinema was it, writes Brian Byrne. A project led by members of Kilcullen Lions, the buzz of anticipation was mighty in the unique Heritage Centre foyer of the Town Hall in advance of the screening of The Fabelmanns, the semi-autobiographical movie by Steven Spielberg based on his own adolescence and early interest in film-making.

Those attending were welcomed by Teresa Nurse (above) on behalf of the organisers, who said the aim is to invest all proceeds into making Kilcullen Bridge Cinema a continually improving experience for the community's movie fans. She thanked particularly Cllr Tracey O'Dwyer who had provided funding on behalf of Kildare County Council to help update the digital projection systems in the Town Hall.

For many there, it was their first experience of cinema in Kilcullen, but for others it was an occasion to share memories of when Kilcullen Town Hall Cinema was the best known of its kind in Leinster through the 1950s and 1960s. Teresa Nurse noted that the beginnings of film showing in the space went back as far as the 1930s. A leaflet with the history of cinema in Kilcullen, compiled by Noel Clare, was available for those attending last night.

The occasion ended a cinematic 'darkness' in Kilcullen that had lasted for some 47 years, and was very much a reminder of how much more satisfying is the experience of watching films in cinema with a large audience compared to doing so at home on TV.

The next screening by Kilcullen Bridge Cinema is Rise on 11 October, with tickets available on Eventbrite and at Woodbine Books, price €7.

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