Glittering opening night for cineplex
October 1992
It was like a grand old Hollywood premiere with a down home dimension when Wexford’s new three-in-one cinema opened its doors for the first time last week.
The old Abbey in George’s Street was but a faded memory as 300 invited guests representing the entire Wexford community mingled and marvelled in the new plush facility known as The Savoy Cineplex.
Many of them hadn’t been inside a Wexford cinema for years. Turned off by the dilapidated state of the previous facilities on offer, they simply stopped going.
But last Thursday night, clutching bags of Milk Tray and Double Centres, they sank into the soft carpet, luxuriated in the dimly-lit cosiness of The Savoy, and promised to return to ‘the pictures’ more often.
The custom-built triple facility comprises a 300-seater cinema, a 196-seater and a 120-seater, all with modern comfort and the latest screen and sound equipment in common.
Developed by Wexfordman Tom Donnelly, in association with Ward Anderson, the nationwide cinema chain, the Savoy is one of the jewels in a new urban restoration crown at the North End of Wexford, opposite Dunnes Stores.
Wexford author Billy Roche, whose star is currently in the literary ascendency, flew over from London to perform the official opening and remarked modestly that he really was the ideal person for the job.
Why? Because he can remember all the names of the Magnificent Seven and nearly all of the Dirty Dozen.
He also saw two films that influenced popular culture during his cinema-going days in Wexford: ‘Killer Deano’ and ‘King of the Kaiber Rifles’.
Anyone putting himself about as a bit of a hard case, for example, would be greeted with the following as he entered a pub or a pool hall: ‘here comes Killer Deano’.
Billy said he was genuinely bowled over by the successor to the Abbey. ‘I really am impressed. I’m looking forward to the future of cinema in Wexford. We should support this place. I’ll be here, and I know Jimmy Leacy will be here too.’
Jimmy Leacy is the Wexfordman who can claim he never missed a weekly visit to The Abbey in 17 years. A dedicated cinema buff, he is a walking encyclopaedia of film trivia.
He was there for the opening, looking like a youngster in a sweet shop. He is facing a small problem though, as one of his friends pointed out. Now he has to decide which of three films to go and see.