‘Benji’ film nearly caused a riot

August 1977

Wexford’s Abbey Cinema was virtually besieged on Thursday night last when a huge crowd turned up for the film ‘Benji’, one of the most popular children’s films on release at present and one which has been extensively advertised on television and in the papers.

At one stage, the Gardai had to be called to try and return some order to the queue outside. Eventually, very many people were turned away disappointed.

The film was only on in the Abbey for one night and it is thought this was the reason for so many people turning up. People, including very many young children, had begun queuing at 6.30 p.m., an hour before the film was due to begin.

But just as the doors were about to open, another very big crowd arrived and many of the new arrivals pushed their way to the top of the queue. At this stage, the management decided not to open the doors until they called the Gardai.

But according to Abbey manageress, Mrs Mary Latimer, even the Gardai could do very little. ‘We had a very orderly queue until we were ready to open the door and then a huge crowd came from John Street direction and many rushed for the door. I was very worried about the young children in the crowd and decided to call the Gardai.

‘I was very sorry for the young children. There were men of 24 and 25 pushing children out of the way, to go and see a children’s film,’ said Mrs Latimer.

She added that if she had known such a large crowd would want to see ‘Benji’, she also would have put on a matinee show in the afternoon.

The huge crowd was probably a direct result of the fact that ‘Benji’ was the only children’s film on that week, and indeed, the first in quite a while. Mrs Latimer said that she expects ‘Benji’ to return to Wexford some time, while there are also a number of other children’s films coming soon.