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IF YOU’RE A Dubliner (or if you’ve ever been to Dublin), it’s likely that you visited the site of the first Irish cinema without knowing it.
What’s known today as Penneys on Mary Street – an institution in itself – was once the home of the first Irish cinema – The Volta Picture Theatre – set up by none other than James Joyce.
The idea to open a cinema in Dublin came from Joyce’s sister Eva after they arrived in Trieste, Italy in September 1909. The pair learned that there were 21 cinemas in Trieste at the time and none in Dublin, and Eva thought a Dublin cinema would be a “successful venture,” according to JamesJoyce.ie.
Below is a composite image of The Volta and Penneys as we know it today:
Joyce went on to meet with a group of businessmen who had opened cinemas in Hungary and Italy, and they agreed to invest money for cinemas in Dublin, Belfast and Cork. While nothing ever came of the plans to open cinemas in the latter two locations, just a few weeks later the poet returned to Dublin to begin his new project.
After deciding on 45 Mary Street as the location, The Volta Picture Theatre opened on 20 December 1909 with an audience capacity of 420. Films screened there included Pathé’s Bewitched Castle, The First Paris Orphanage and The Tragic Story of Beatrice Cenci, according to the Irish Times. The cinema was decorated in light blue and crimson, while admission ranges from two to six pence.
However, Joyce’s dream for an Irish cinema proved to be short-lived as the theatre was sold at a loss just six months later for £1,000 to the English Provincial Cinema Company, reports the Irish Times.
Under new ownership, The Volta continued to run for another decade before it closed in 1919. It opened again as the Lyceum Picture Theatre in 1921, before closing for good in 1948. The first Penneys store opened there in 1969.
Nowadays, only the facade of the two upper floors survives, while a small plaque marks the site’s significance in Irish cinema. However, its name lives on in the form of The Volta Award, which was introduced in 2007 by Dublin International Film Festival to honour those who have made a significant contribution to the world of film. Recipients include Al Pacino, Julie Andrews and Danny DeVito.
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The only question is, would the water turn yellow or brown.
Double incontinence would unquestionably ensure.
Red
Ahh once it didn’t turn red that’s the main thing
Keep your arms and legs inside the vehicle at all times. Lol.
Surely that’s a better question in regards to their wetsuits
how the Huck does she speak so well under water with a scuba mask on breathing app etc
It’s all fun and games till ‘Jaws’ shows up..
Diving with great whites is the height of stupidity. I do not know how more people are not eaten.
You should try it sometime, it’s pretty cool in fairness. Amazing beasts up close.
Might be something to do with the big steel cage kitty.
classic Sharky and George double team
Suprise suckers
Feck that sh*t!
@ ALAN Not everyone is on social media!
sharks just going: “any chance you could keep the bleedin’ noise down luv? Some of us have to live here you know”
Some believe sharks are as if not more intelligent than chimps….that’s how close they are too us. They learn and hunt in packs…best admired from afar
Yeah far enough away to be able to put the feet up on a recliner. :)
Karl Pilkington would have been proud of that one! Although contrary to what the movies will tell you shark attacks on humans are quite rare overall & scientists believe it’s usually because they mistake humans for something else. Other than that, I have to say this underwater footage is fantastic overall, beats the shit out of snorkeling anyway
Reminds me of that episode of Friends with the dog in the window of Phoebes taxi
The journal should really stick to news. It can’t quite keep up with social media. Seen this yesterday.
maybe you shouldn’t spend so much time on the computer Alan?
Shark bait!!!
It’s just a curious big fish, these folk were in it’s territory.
just when you thought it was safe to go back in the cage
Noah’s shark
then suddenly a brown trout appeared.
We’re gonna need a better cage.
Well yeah I’ll go diving where sharks are. Check the stupidity level….
It reminds me of the velociraptors in the first Jurassic park movie. One took the attention of the people, while the other one crept up behind them to eat them.
flanked by a clever girl !
have your say