Kerry County Council approved redevelopment of Dingle’s historic Phoenix Cinema into an arts centre led by Cillian Murphy and Yvonne McGuinness, with government funding and community input, preserving its legacy while adding performance spaces, studios, and public areas.

Kerry County Council has approved plans to redevelop the historic Phoenix Cinema in Dingle, Ireland, into a multi-use arts centre led by actor Cillian Murphy and artist Yvonne McGuinness, who purchased the site in 2024. The project, supported by €933,000 in government funding and community input, will preserve the cinema’s legacy while adding performance spaces, studios, exhibition areas, a café, bar, and restaurant. The venue, closed in 2022 after over a century of operation and surviving two major fires, will feature a central courtyard and expanded public access. Approval came with 13 conditions addressing traffic and parking concerns raised by neighbors.