The Academy Cinema, 42 Pearse Street (Previously 52 Brunswick Street), Dublin

Formerly The Antient Concert Rooms / The Palace Cinema and Ballroom / The Forum / The Embassy Cinema

Dublin Theatres Index

Above - The Academy, Dublin in March 2009 - Courtesy Des Kerins.

The Academy building, which is located on Pearse Street (previously Brunswick Street), was originally constructed in 1824 for the Dublin Oil and Gas Company. The idea was to manufacture gas from fish oil but when the price of fish-oil dramatically increased the company went bankrupt, in 1834.

The building then lay empty for many years but in 1842 it was acquired by the 'Antient Concert Society' who first opened it as a concert venue called 'The Antient Concert Rooms' on the 20th of April 1843. The original seating capacity was for around 600 people.

Right - A Programme for Herr Dobler's 'New Entertainment' at the Antient Concert Rooms, Dublin. The Programme is undated but thought to be for 1882 or 1883. Aberdeen conjuror George William S. Buck performed under the stage name Herr Dobler and is here billed as being 'The Greatest Legitimate Sleight-of-Hand Performer in the World' - Programme Courtesy Simon Moss, stagememories.

Down through the years Dubliners enjoyed musical performances, concerts, operas, straight theatre, amateur productions, burlesque and even boxing matches here, it was a real place of entertainment.

Count John McCormack and James Joyce sang at this Theatre and the Irish Literary Theatre Company gave early performances here, (This company later became the Irish Theatre Company and eventually, in the early 20th century, moved into their own Theatre namely the Abbey Theatre.)

In 1920 the building was fitted out as a Cinema and Ballroom reopening for business in May the same year with the new name of "The Palace Cinema and Ballroom".

Above - The Academy, Dublin in March 2009 - Courtesy Des Kerins.

The venue was once again given a new name in 1950 when it became "The Forum" but this closed in April 1956 and almost immediately reopened as "The Embassy Cinema". In May 1964 it closed once again and was refurbished and opened again in March 1965 as "The Academy Cinema" with 640 seats.

The final closure came in 1981 and the building was seriously neglected for many years. Eventually, however, it was once again totally refurbished and returned to it's former glory and is now in use as an office building.

This article and some of its Photographs was first written and kindly sent in for inclusion by Des Kerrins. The article was updated and corrected in June 2023 by M.L.