cinema

End-of-terrace single-bay double-height former cinema, c.1940, with single-bay single-storey breakfront having canopy over, ten-bay double-height side elevation to north-west and single-bay double-height flat-roofed lower bay to rear elevation to north-east. Renovated and amalgamated with building to right (south-east), c.1990, with timber pubfront inserted to ground floor. Shallow barrel-roofed behind stepped parapet wall. Materials not visible. Cast-iron rainwater goods. Flat-roofed to lower bay to north-east. Bitumen felt. Timber eaves. Rendered wall to front (south-west) elevation. Painted. Rendered breakfront with concrete canopy over having round-headed red brick panel over. Rendered stepped parapet wall with red brick coping. Rendered walls to remainder. Unpainted. Rendered piers along side elevation to north-west. Timber pubfront, c.1990, to ground floor with pilasters, panels, fixed-pane windows and glazed timber double doors having timber fascia over with consoles and moulded cornice. Road fronted. Concrete footpath to front.

This former cinema is a fine and imposing building in a muted Modern style that has been renovated to ground floor in the late twentieth century, leading to the loss of some of the original appearance and character to that portion – the insertion of a traditional-style timber pubfront is not in keeping with the style of the remainder of the building. The cinema is typical of many of the designs for rural Irish cinemas in the early to mid twentieth century, comprising a barn-style structure fronted with a façade of Modern aspirations, and the undulating profile of the façade together with a stepped parapet wall is a characteristic shared with many other cinema buildings throughout the country, many of which are now lost. The cinema is of some social and cultural interest, and forms an attractive feature on the streetscape of market Square, with the stepped parapet adding variety to the roofline of the street.