The Buildings
Cultural Buildings
The Pavilion
Contact Details
| Address | 13 Carey's Lane |
| Telephone | 021 4276230 |
| Opening Hours | 11.00 a.m to 5.00 p.m. |
The Pavilion cinema was one of the oldest cinemas in Cork. It opened for business on the 10th of March 1921. The first film screened there was D. W. Griffith's, "The Greatest Question". With 900 seats, it quickly established itself as one of the most popular cinemas in the city. It was the first cinema in Cork to be equipped with technology for the new 'talking' films. Its first 'talkie' was shown there on the 5th of August 1929. A fire caused major damage to the cinema in February 1930, but it reopened in June of the same year. The Pavilion restaurant was also popular with locals.
Interesting architectural features include the upper barrel vaulted ceiling with original plaster mouldings, which is retained in the modern day live music venue. Externally, the unusual material, which clads the walls and the decorative details enhance the façade of this notable building. The neo-Classical features, such as the Venetian windows, Ionic columns and balustraded parapet, are enlivened by early twentieth-century features, such as the wrought-iron balconies and off centre segmental pediment with stepped surround.
The Pavilion closed as a cinema in August 1989. The popular music store HMV now occupies the front of the premises on Patrick St. The old cinema part of the premises reopened in the early 90’s as a nightclub and bar on Carey’s Lane. It has recently been refurbished fully with new owners and it is currently a late night bar and café downstairs and a live music venue upstairs.
This former cinema is an interesting example of early twentieth-century architectural design in Ireland, and makes a positive addition to the streetscape.