Fresh hope for revival of stunning art deco cinema in East Cork

Community groups have reached a ‘significant milestone’ in their plans to revive the Regal

The exterior of the 1930s cinema(Image: Hegarty Properties)

For more than 70 years, the Regal Cinema was one of the most recognisable buildings in Youghal, with its distinctive art deco style giving cinemagoers a truly unique experience.

The venue has been closed for more than a year, but now a new initiative spearheaded by local community groups hopes to bring the building back into use.

Originally built as a traditional seaside theatre in 1916, and rebuilt in 1936 after a fire. The Regal was later converted into a cinema and remained a popular entertainment venue until its closure in 2010.

In 2017, a massive restoration project was undertaken to revamp the cinema building, reflecting its original glamour with a modern twist. The revamp kept things running for several years, but in December 2024, it closed once more and has remained shut ever since.

Following its closure, the cinema was put on the market with an asking price of €600,000, which was later slashed to €295,000.

Now stakeholder groups, including the newly formed Youghal Tide (formerly the Youghal Town Centre First Stakeholder Group) and Youghal Business Alliance, are coming together to bring the property back into use.

While details remain light at this early stage, the community groups confirmed they have recently crossed a ‘significant milestone’ in the project.

A spokesperson for Youghal Tide said that the milestone represents a ‘major vote of confidence’ in the town, which will open up ‘exciting possibilities for regeneration, culture, enterprise and community activity’ in the years ahead.

They said: “Over recent months, members of the Youghal Town First Committee, working closely with the Youghal Business Alliance and other stakeholders, have been focused on one important goal: securing the future of the Regal Cinema following its closure in December 2024.

“Today, we are pleased to announce a significant breakthrough. We hope to have positive news shortly for the community in this regard, ensuring that this iconic building remains an important part of Youghal’s future … We look forward to sharing further details as plans develop.”

The Regal Cinema still retains many of its gorgeous original features, including the lobby tiling, photographs from its 70+ year history, and the same facade on its main screen, miraculously preserved from when it was just a one-room movie hall decades ago.

The cinema is steeped in history and is most famous for hosting the world premiere of John Huston’s Moby Dick in 1954, which was shot in Youghal and included many local fishermen as extras in the film.

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