THE FIGHT TO KEEP ARTHOUSE CINEMA, PÁLÁS, ALIVE.
Under grey, misting clouds, over 100 Galwegians gathered outside City Hall at a recent protest of the upcoming closure of Pálás, Galway’s arthouse cinema. In December, the cinema, owned by the Light House Cinema Group, announced that it would be closing its doors in February 2025 due to “rising costs and the oversaturation of the Galway cinema market.”
The three-screen theatre, unique for its monolithic, even brutalist structure of cement and exposed metal, opened on 23 February 2018, under the management of Irish production company Element Pictures. The cinema’s mission was to provide a space for native and independent films and support film education initiatives in partnership with ATU and the University of Galway. Lelia Doolan, an arts campaigner who attended the protest, moved from group to group, eager to converse with fellow supporters. “Every centre that shows unusual native film is very important, culturally, to everybody. Local storytellers are crucial for local people,” said Doolan.
The demonstration began with protesters chanting various slogans, including “Fight for culture, fight for Pálás, fight for art,” while raising signs reading “A Pálás for the people,” all to the beat of drums and claps. Conor Burke, a recent candidate for the People Before Profit and Solidarity ticket for Galway City East and the protest organiser, opened the speeches. Standing at the top of the City Hall steps, with the crowd facing the front doors, Burke said, “for a city that prides itself on its artistic reputation” the infrastructure to support the arts is “failing”.
In a second speech, a community member of CATU and esteemed film graphic designer, who has worked on Irish films like Normal People and The Banshees of Inisherin, proclaimed, “We want to see our community breathing and living… If we do not fight for places like [Pálás] to stay open, we will have nothing left… We only want the art. And that is all we ask for because that is what we deserve.”
The protest, which began at 3pm on a Monday, was no coincidence. It coincided with the City Council’s first meeting of 2025, and supporters hoped to have the closure of Pálás added to the agenda for discussion. “I think it’s really important that it’s maintained as a public resource… for the community that funded it,” said Tadgh Ó Cuirrín, PRAXIS organizer for the Connacht region. “I feel like there is a way forward… We just want to start a dialogue on how to keep the space running as a cultural resource in the city… and keep culture at the heart of Galway city.”
From the second and third-floor windows of City Hall, staff could be seen observing and discussing the rally in the courtyard. As the crowd shifted toward the sliding glass doors of the county office, protesters filled the foyer, continuing their chants. The drums echoed off the porcelain floors and glass railings. At this point, the council meeting had to be adjourned, and Gardaí were called. They arrived shortly after the group had peacefully exited the building.
As the protest ended, Burke announced, “There’s an opportunity for them to come to speak to us directly if they would like to do so,” referring to the members of the council—though no one took up the offer. The community had come together to voice their concerns. Nell Buckley, a young artist, said, “Galway is supposed to be the cultural capital of Ireland… The prioritization of profit over public good just persists, and so today is about gathering people to let them know that everybody’s angry and everybody cares about it.”
The desired outcome is to keep the cultural staple open by any means necessary, as a gesture of respect for the arts community and to avoid turning “it into a mausoleum of its culture,” as one GMIT film graduate put it. Conor Burke, however, remains hopeful. “The turnout today proves that the local community is 100% behind the call to save Pálás.” Talks continue within the council regarding the cinema’s future, while the building’s lease has yet to be formally ceased, shedding a small but hopeful light on the creative community.
Background to Pálás
Pálás has ensured that everyone in the Galway community has access to the theatre, offering exclusive discounts and events. Every Friday, the cinema becomes a haven for parents and babies to enjoy the latest films. With discounted parking, special lighting, and sound adjustments, children are welcomed, allowing parents to enjoy a movie without needing a sitter. Student discounts are available Monday through Wednesday, while Silver Screen offers specially priced tickets along with complimentary tea and coffee. The lobby features a display of merchandise from local artists, providing an opportunity to support local talent while buying popcorn and snacks.
Since 2014, Galway has been a member of UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network in the Film category. According to the UNESCO website, “In recent decades, Galway has seen the rise of a burgeoning film, television, and animation sector, bringing significant economic activity to the area.” Pálás remains the only arthouse cinema in the West of Ireland built to support “the development of the city’s film festivals and increase the opportunities for film exhibitions in the region.” The Galway Film Fleadh, an annual festival held each July, will be affected if the cinema, which serves as a screening venue for the event, closes.
