Striking Galway cinema the Pálás is set to close its doors soon, after they announced this week the ‘difficult decision’ this week. Citing the ‘stark reality’ of rising business costs and oversaturation of the cinema market for shutting down, the Pálás Cinema confirmed on Wednesday that ongoing financial losses will see them close for good at the end of Feburary 2025.
Over the last seven years, Pálás has screened thousands of independent and arthouse films, held Q&As and events, and been a regular host for the Galway Film Fleadh. Though Galway will still have the Eye in Wellpark, the Omniplex in Salthill and IMCs on Headford Road and nearby in Oranmore, it leaves the city, which celebrated its 10 year anniversary this year as a UNESCO City of Film, without a dedicated arthouse cinema.
When the Pálás opened in 2018, it brought to an end a 14 year wait for the cinema after numerous delays and difficulties befell the project. Seeping seawater, closing construction companies and faded funding all contributed to the wait, one which occasionally disgruntled locals. Element Pictures finally became involved with getting plans over the line in late 2016 and agreed a 30-year lease with the City Council. They provided similar programming to sister cinema the Light House, and as the cinema provided fine dining on the ground floor and a bar, there were hopes after it finally opened that it could stand on its own two feet. The Pálás was a celebrated Fleadh host and its beautiful brutalist architecture by Tom de Paor attracted praise and awards.
Sadly, the arrival of Covid cost the cinema its restaurant and hit it with enormous financial challenges just as it was gaining momentum. In the years since, it has been unable to find a sustainable footing, leading to the upcoming end.
In a statement announcing the closure, Pálás said:
“It is with deep regret that after seven years of trading, Pálás will be closing its doors at the end of February 2025.
To many, Pálás is more than just a cinema and we have loved being a part of the community. We are so proud of our incredible team, the partnerships we have forged and the loyal audience we have fostered for Irish, arthouse and independent films in Galway.
We have worked hard to avoid this outcome but the stark reality is rising costs and the oversaturation of the Galway cinema market have made continued trading unviable, and we have taken the difficult decision to withdraw from the business.
We intend to provide the best possible filmgoing experience until we close our doors and we look forward to welcoming audiences until then.
We are forever grateful for all of the love and support you have shown us over the last seven years.”
They have further said that they will ensure an orderly transition of the building to its owners, Galway City Council at the end of February.
The Galway branch of the Community Action Tenants Union (CATU) made their disappointment known, and have released a statement today calling for Galway City Council to ensure that the civic arts space that remains a public building for the public good. Noting that many members of their community union are artists themslves, CATU are wary of the building falling into vacancy or dereliction, or getting sold off to the highest bidder, the story of so many spaces throughout the island. CATU Galway said:
The announcement of the closure of the Pálás cinema is a loss to Galway city and its artistic and wider communities. The building, completed in 2018, was constructed with the backing of €8.4 million in public funding. This is a civic arts space owned wholly by Galway City Council.
It is imperative that we as a community are vocal on what happens next with this venue. We must ensure that it remains publicly owned and serves the community who funded it.
For Galway to claim the moniker of ‘City of Film’ without a venue whose focus is on the forwarding and exhibition of film as an artistic medium is shambolic and embarrassing.
Galway city trades on its reputation as a cultural hub and a home for artists. Yet the city lacks necessary purpose built infrastructure for artists to make and share work in. The venues that do exist are struggling to stay open or closing their doors and artists are forced to leave.
The city is being hollowed out, making way for Airbnbs, gift shops and extortionate rents. What we are left with is a Disneyland-like facade of what the city claims to be – a city that no longer functions for its community. We cannot allow this purpose built venue to fall into vacancy or dereliction or be sold to the highest bidder. The council must ensure that this remains a public building for the public good.
Speaking to RTÉ, Assistant Professor of Film Studies at the University of Galway Seán Crosson also outlined the need for an art house space in the city.
“The Pálás Cinema was the fruits of incredible efforts by a lot of people in Galway and I think it had an important role to play.
“There continues to be a need for an arts cinema in the city and I hope that the State, the various stake holders, the city council, the relevant government departments, Screen Ireland and the film community can come together to ensure that there is an art house space available for the city and the West of Ireland.”
The sad end of the cinema is a reminder to support local independent film events, artists and venues. But the statements above are a reminder also that for artists to have a space for themselves, they must be willing to take up space also, to argue, advocate and align for the arts. We hope that, film or otherwise, arts will live on in the Pálás, and that arthouse and independent cinema can find a place and thrive in Galway. We hope that we can visit the Galway cinema one more time ourselves before it closes its doors, and we hope you can too.
“In a relatively short period of time, Pálás became one of Galways most important cultural institutions and was a haven for film fans all across the west. It’ll be missed.”