T

THE classic movie The Dawn, which was written and directed by local man Tom Cooper in 1936, was the first talkie made in Ireland and now it is poised to help generate funds to help saves lives in Killarney. A series of special screenings in aid of the Heart of Killarney fundraiser continues this evening in Cinema Killarney and also next Tuesday, February 7.

A fresh chapter in Irish movie history opened in December as the iconic film was given a whole new lease of life. Moviegoers were delighted to see it restored to its former glory at Cinema Killarney, owned by Mr Cooper’s grandson Tom Cooper, and a fortnight ago a series of weekly screenings commenced in aid of a project that aims to see old Irish telephone boxes used to highlight the locations of, and house, defibrillators.

The first telephone box was established on Main Street in September and plans are in place for another, with the Woodlawn area proposed as the location of the next phone box. "We would like to say a special thanks to the Cooper family and Cinema Killarney for selecting the Heart of Killarney as the beneficiary from the screenings of The Dawn,” said Damien Baker of Heart of Killarney. “Killarney has inspired towns across Ireland to role this idea out so we can look forward to seeing phone boxes play an important role in Ireland once again."

Tickets are available from the box office at Cinema Killarney.
 

 
Above: Members of the Cooper family at a screening of the new digitised version of 'The Dawn' at Cinema Killarney. From left are Katherine Cooper, Tommy Cooper, Michelle Cooper Galvin, Diarmuid Galvin and Therese Cooper. PICTURE: EAMONN KEOGH