Drive-in cinema gears up for launch

WORK continues at a feverish rate to ensure Ireland’s first drive-in cinema will open to the public next week.

The cinema, which is the brainchild of three Cork-based businessman, will have a monster 17 metre high, 20 metre-wide screen and tiered, canopy covered parking spaces for 100 cars.

Stephen Redmond, Paul O’Sullivan and John Caulfield came up with the idea a couple of years ago, but only started to put it into practice when they leased a site at the Fota Retail Park in Carrigtwohill.

Dubbed Movie Junction it will also feature a drive-through diner called Hollywood Nights.

However, waitress service will also be employed, harking back to the 1950s heydays of the American drive-in move era when they served copious amounts of popcorn and cola to viewers.

The 6 kilowatt powered projector, which was being installed yesterday, is three times more powerful than the ones normally found in most cinemas.

“If all goes well we will expand the drive-in. We have planning for a total of 370 car parking spaces and would put up a second big screen,” John Caulfield said.

During the colder winter nights drivers will be offered free heaters which will be powered from powerpoints in their parking spaces.

The overhead canopies mean that even if it rains drivers will be able to watch the big screen without having to turn on their windscreen wipers.

“This will be a 21st century experience of the drive-in cinema and we’re are also looking at potential sites for ones in Dublin and Galway,” Mr Caulfield said.

The drive-in cinema will open to the public on Friday, November 19, with a showing of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Part 1).

“We will be screening all the big films as they come out. We’re also looking at screening big sporting events such as next year’s Rugby World Cup,” Mr Caulfield said.

The businessmen employed 35 local people for the construction phase of the project and nearly all the 15 permanent jobs created will also be filled by people from Carrigtwohill.

The cinema will have three nightly showings from 6.30pm to 12.30am. The cost of entry is €16 per vehicle.