Adelphi Cinema Dublin by W R Glen - now a car park -

The Adelphi opened on 12 January 1939 and, as built, it had almost 2,300 seats and a cafe. Long before it was divided to make 3 smaller cinemas in 1976 (later 4 cinemas), it also played host to the only Dublin appearance by the Beatles on 7 November 1963. The cinema opened in January 1939 and it closed on November 30 1995.

 

Designed by W R Glen, staff architect for the U.K. ABC chain, which developed the Adelphi as a showcase for their small Irish operation. Glen (1884 - 1950) was a prolific cinema architect, initially in private practice in Scotland and later as the house designer for ABC, where he built many cinemas in England. In his design for the Adelphi in Dublin, a relatively moderne exterior and entrance hall led to a fairly conservative interior. The present car park building retains part of the facade, the interior was completely destroyed. The contrast between the smooth exterior and the rough internal concrete blockwork of the new car park is particularly pronounced. September 2006 - extensive building plans just announced for this block but as yet unclear what will happen to the facade of the former cinema.

  • The original cinema entrance hall led to twin pay boxes, which flanked the stairs to the balcony, with access to the stalls between them. A full stage and dressing rooms were provided. Originally decorated in autumnal tones with spray painted walls in speckled plastic paint. The seats were in flame coloured velvet.

    In addition to the Beatles, - who were whisked away from the attention of waiting fans in a newspaper van, the Adelphi stage had also seen its share of stars. They included Ronald Reagan, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Marlene Dietrich, Bob Dylan, Roy Orbison, Gene Pitney, and Diana Ross. John Wayne and John Ford even used the Adelphi to check footage of "The Quiet Man".

    Most of them would have been welcomed by cinema manager Harry Lush, who served from 1943 to 1981 and who only died relatively recently.

    Photo © July 1998

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