Pálás cinema
Cinema and arts venue in Galway, Ireland
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Pálás (English: "Palace") was a cinema in Galway city, Ireland. It opened in 2018, and closed in February 2025 due to financial losses.[2][3] The building is owned by Galway City Council and was operated by the Light House Cinema group,[4] as part of the Europa Cinemas network of local art-house cinemas.[5]
Ireland
The Palace | |
Pálás with the "PALACE" name on its side | |
 Interactive map of The Pálás | |
| Address | Galway, County Galway Ireland |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 53°16′11″N 9°03′10″W |
| Owner | Galway City Council |
| Operator | Light House Cinema |
| Construction | |
| Opened | 23 February 2018[1] |
| Closed | 27 February 2025[2] |
| Architect | Tom de Paor |
| Website | |
| www | |
Construction
The site, for Galway's Solas Picture Palace,[2][6] was first identified in 2004.[7] The venue was designed by Tom de Paor,[8] and awarded an AAI and RIAI award for "Best Cultural Building", two Irish Concrete Society awards, two Civic Trust awards and a World Architecture Award.[9][10][11] The site was completed in 2017 by the Solas Galway Picture Palace Company,[12] which later went into liquidation in 2020.[13] The cinema included a bar with facilities for board games.[14]
Operations
The site hosted premiere screenings, parties and quiz nights, and was a key venue for the Galway Film Fleadh and Galway Film Society.[15][16] It also hosted a book club.[17]
Closure
In December 2024, the operators announced that they would be ceasing operations at the venue in early 2025.[7]
Public meetings were held by concerned citizens, under the "Save Pálás" banner,[2] to find ways to keep the cinema in operation as a cultural space.[4][18] In January 2025, a city council meeting was delayed due to protests about the closure.[19] A protest outside the venue was held on 22 February, one week before the scheduled closure.[20]
Future
A group including former RTÉ chair Siún Ní Raghallaigh and Galway Film Fleadh founder Lelia Doolan was formed in 2025 to try to re-open the cinema.[21]
The venue was used again temporarily for screenings during the 2025 Film Fleadh.[22]
See also
- Claddagh Palace, a nearby cinema that closed in 1995
- Pallas Castle, County Galway; one of the best-preserved examples of a tower house in Ireland
