Over 280,000 attend NATIONAL CINEMA WEEKEND across Ireland
Cinemas in Republic of Ireland record highest weekend admissions of 2026 marking the two-day celebration of cinema
National Cinema Weekend took place across the weekend of September 5th & 6th with Irish cinemas recording huge attendance numbers of over 280,000 admissions, with cinema audiences across Ireland enjoying the big-screen experience from just €4 as cinemas joined the nationwide National Cinema Weekend celebration proudly supported by Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland.
281,140 cinema admissions were recorded across the Island, which represented a 3-fold increase on the 2024 National Cinema Day (this year’s initiative took place across two days, Saturday and Sunday). Many cinemas recorded their busiest weekend for cinema this year with some cinemas even opening overnight to cater for the demand.
99% of cinemas in the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland participated in this initiative, offering a wide variety of new, recent and classic films for audiences to enjoy. Family favourites were also included as a treat for thousands of back-to school children just as schools reopen.
Cinema operators noticed that the initiative attracted many new and occasional cinema-goers, with many members of the audience attending multiple films. Occupancy rates of over 95% were recorded in many cinemas, across both multiplexes and arthouse cinemas, showcasing a strong Irish audience appetite for a variety of films including Irish and international titles.
Off the back of a blockbuster summer and the massive popularity of many titles including The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the cinema industry in Ireland united over the weekend to celebrate the ritual of cinema-going and the important place it has in Irish life, with Irish audiences coming out in their hundreds of thousands to attend the cinema. For many years, Ireland has had the highest cinema attendance per capita in Europe*.
The Republic of Ireland also has the highest screen density per capita of any European country, with an average of one cinema screen per 10,000 people, demonstrating the Irish public’s love of cinema*.
Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland was the official sponsor of National Cinema Weekend 2026. Désirée Finnegan, Chief Executive of Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland, commented:
“Screen Ireland was delighted to sponsor this year’s National Cinema Weekend, with cinemas across the country attracting record admissions. Our sincere thanks to the network of Irish cinemas, exhibitors, distributors and film teams who played a huge role in making this weekend an incredible success. For Screen Ireland, it underlines the importance and value of the shared cinema experience – connecting audiences to Irish stories on screen and building community right across the country.”
Irish cinemas now look forward to a huge Autumn and Winter at the box office, with blockbusters including Avengers: Doomsday; Dune Part Three; along with many highly anticipated Irish titles which are expected to continue to attract Irish audiences.
