# Savoy Cinema > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Savoy_Cinema > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Savoy_Cinema.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savoy_Cinema > Source revision: 1331796069 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Cinema in Dublin, Ireland This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Savoy Cinema" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (September 2010) (Learn how and when to remove this message) Savoy Cinema IMC Savoy, Savoy Dublin The Savoy during the 2006 Jameson Dublin International Film Festival Savoy Cinema Location within Central Dublin Address 16-19 Upper O'Connell Street Dublin Ireland Coordinates 53°21′04″N 6°15′38″W / 53.35111°N 6.26056°W / 53.35111; -6.26056 Owner IMC Cinema Group Capacity With screen one being split into five the current capacity is unknown (originally 2,789) Type Cinema Screens 13 (originally 1) Construction Opened 29 November 1929 (1929-11-29) Rebuilt 1969 1975 1979 1988 Architect C.F. Mitchell and W.E. Greenwood Builder Meagher & Hayes Website www.imccinemas.ie/Whats-On/Savoy-Dublin Savoy Cinema auditorium in 1929 The **Savoy Cinema** on the east side of [Upper O'Connell Street](/source/O'Connell_Street) in [Dublin](/source/Dublin), Ireland is the oldest operational cinema in Dublin and is the preferred cinema in Ireland for film premières. ## History The cinema was built in 1929 by Meagher & Hayes, on the site of the old Granville Hotel. The luxurious auditorium, housing 2,789 seats, opened to the public with the American colour talkie *[On with the Show](/source/On_with_the_Show_(1929_film))*. It was altered in 1954 to incorporate a large [CinemaScope](/source/CinemaScope) screen, and showed [Ireland](/source/Ireland)'s first [widescreen](/source/Widescreen) feature, [*The Robe*](/source/The_Robe_(film)), at the time owned by Odeon Ireland Ltd. Savoy Cinema Dublin, during construction by Meagher & Hayes, pre-1929 Savoy Cinema Dublin, during construction by Meagher & Hayes, pre-1929 (image 2) Savoy Cinema Dublin, nearing completion, 1928 or 1929 It was reported in February 2012 that the cinema was in danger of closing. In the previous decade, audience numbers fell from 740,000 to 250,000 per annum.[1] ## Screens The Savoy is the most altered cinema in Dublin's history,[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] and in 1969 the cinema was converted into a twin cinema. In 1975, the Savoy's restaurant was converted into a third screen, holding 200 seats, followed in 1979 by further sub-divisions, creating five screens in all. In 1988, the cinema was given its sixth screen. In the process, the Savoy had lost a third of its capacity. In 2004, renovation work was carried out, moving the box office from the two booths located on either side of the entrance to what used to be an adjoining shop. The confectionery counter has also been moved many times, it is now in a room to the left of the main entrance. The Advance Screening Room became the seventh screen in 2014 it is now screen 13. In 2016, the old Screen 2 (500 seats) was converted into three smaller screens and the Savoy became a 9 screen cinema in Dublin City Centre. In January 2018, the "iconic" Screen 1 which held 750 was closed for work to split it into multiple screens.[2] ## Premières The cinema has hosted the Irish premières of many films, most of them having an Irish connection. Films shown here have included [*Alexander*](/source/Alexander_(2004_film)), [*Once*](/source/Once_(film)) and [*The Man in the Iron Mask*](/source/The_Man_in_the_Iron_Mask_(1998_film)). The cinema was used until 2017 during the [Dublin International Film Festival](/source/Dublin_International_Film_Festival), primarily for big-event screenings such as opening and closing night premiers. It also hosts the surprise film, which in 2006 was the first [Irish](/source/Republic_of_Ireland) screening of the film, [*300*](/source/300_(film)). ## Controversy In December 1934, Republicans demonstrated against the screening at the cinema of a [newsreel](/source/Newsreel) of the marriage of [Prince George, Duke of Kent](/source/Prince_George%2C_Duke_of_Kent), to [Princess Marina](/source/Princess_Marina_of_Greece_and_Denmark).[3] ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Savoy Cinema may face the final curtain](http://www.independent.ie/business/irish/savoy-cinema-may-face-the-final-curtain-3024277.html) *Sunday Independent*, 2012-02-19. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Hosford, Paul (12 January 2018). ["Work to split Screen One at the Savoy Cinema has started"](http://www.thejournal.ie/savoy-screen-3794114-Jan2018/). *TheJournal.ie*. Retrieved 18 April 2020. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** Wills, Clair (2007). *That Neutral Island*. London: Faber. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780571221059](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780571221059). ## External links - [The Savoy Cinema](https://www.imccinemas.ie/Whats-On/Savoy-Dublin) - [An album of photographs recording the construction of the Savoy Cinema, O'Connell Street, Dublin and its appearance on completion.](https://dx.doi.org/10.7925/drs1.ucdlib_45872) A UCD Digital Library Collection. v t e Cinemas of Dublin Current Cineworld Dublin Irish Film Institute Light House Cinema Savoy Cinema Former Adelphi Cinema Ambassador Cinema Carlton Cinema Grafton Cinema Green Cinema Irish Film Theatre Regal Cinema Screen Cinema Theatre De Luxe Volta Electric Theatre --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Savoy Cinema](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savoy_Cinema) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Savoy_Cinema?action=history)). 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