Echo Rewind – 10 years since UCI closed its doors

Echo Rewind – 10 years since UCI closed its doors

By Mary Dennehy

THIS week ten years ago saw the final film reel run at UCI cinemas in The Square shopping centre.

On March 10, 2010, the 20-year-old cinema closed its doors, with the loss of 57 jobs.

UCI 2 compressor

Interior of the UCI complex taken by The Echo when it was being gutted to pave the way for IMC’s new digital cinema 

The closure of the 12-screen cinema was a blow for workers and the wider community.

After bringing Hollywood to Tallaght, UCI was the first multi-screen cinema to serve South Dublin County – with The Classic in Harold’s Cross being the closest big screen at the time.

RTE also visited Tallaght in 2010 to report on the closure of Ireland’s first multiplex cinema. 

A news report from the time notes how on the day Tallaght animation artist Richard Baneham wins an Academy Award for Best Achivement in Visual Effects for his work on Avatar, his local cinema closed its door. 

UCI 3 compressor

Image  of olf film reel from UCI 

Two years later in April 2012, IMC (Irish Multiplex Cinemas) raised the curtain on a new €10m revamped cinema in The Square – which transformed the original 12-screen UCI cinema on Level 3 into a 22,000 seat, modern digital and 3D complex.

IMC’s arrival to The Square was greatly welcomed by locals, with the new cinema putting Tallaght back on the big screen.

As reported in The Echo at the time, IMC received more than 1,000 job applications when it started its recruitment process for the new Tallaght cinema.

IMC, which created more than 70 jobs through the re-opening of the cinema, will this April celebrate eight years at the Tallaght shopping centre.

Watch the RTE News footage of the closure of UCI on the RTE Archive website HERE

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