When booking a cinema ticket, you normally think about the film you’re going to see and not the cinema.
But at the Stella cinema in Rathmines, you can step back in time and leave all your issues at the door of this timeless and romantic theatre.
Amy O’Shaughnessy, the Box Office and Marketing Manager at Stella believes that the cinema itself is a breath of fresh air, despite being 100 years old next January.
Read More: Sick horse found dead in north Dublin
She said: “It’s my favourite place in the world. It’s so special, it’s such an incredible building and I'm still in awe every time I walk in.
“It originally opened in 1923, it was always a one screen cinema complex and it was one of the biggest cinemas in Dublin at the time. It had over 1000 seats but now we only have 215. Back then they weren’t as concerned about fire safety or comfort.
“They’d an amazing fountain at the top of the cinema for entertainment. People would go in for hours. They wouldn’t just see a film, they’d see a newsreel and a few films with intermissions in between.
“In the seventies or eighties, it was changed into a modern cinema. The auditorium was halved to make space for two screens and the balcony was removed. The beautiful ceiling was covered.
“It became known as a little bit of a fleapit. Even though people have cherished memories of it, there’s a lot of stories about holes in seats, rats and things like that. The stories weren’t great.
“It used to be a bit of a venue, the Boomtown Rats played there in the seventies.”
The cinema closed in 2014 but luckily, the buyers wanted to restore the building rather than knock it down and it remains one of the best cinemas in Dublin to date.
Amy continued: “Other people had the idea of tearing down the beautiful building with all the history. So many old, beautiful cinemas are gone now but our space was reclaimed and reopened in 2017.
“The balcony was rebuilt to be like the 1920s. The tiling was covered up, so all the boards were taken down and it was restored with blue and gold paint. The cocktail club used to be a ballroom in the 1920s, they uncovered a beautiful window.
“The whole room shakes because it’s still on a spring loaded dance floor that was an original feature back in the day. It was very lovingly restored.
“The beautiful history of the cinema makes it unique and it’ll be 100 years old next year. There’s romance in that, people appreciate the love and care that went into saving something so beautiful.
“People can come and experience a cinema that’s luxurious and have all the glamour to it. The Stella is a place full of memories too. There’s a great community spirit.
“The service element and the comfort, you can get your food and drinks to your chair. The staff help make your experience more magical and more memorable. We’ve big comfortable armchairs with footrests.
“You’re stepping back in time, leaving the work and family issues at the door. You can just really settle in and enjoy yourself.”
Read More: Inside Ronan and Storm Keating’s luxurious family holiday as Missy joins in Fiji
Read More: Local Dublin jeweller 'forced to close shop by new cycle lane'
For all the latest Dublin news straight to your inbox every day, sign up for our free newsletter.
