Known originally as the Grafton Picture House, the cinema opened on Easter Monday, 11 April 1911. Dublin received its first presentation of "talking pictures" in April 1914 when Thomas Edison's Kinetophone technology was demonstrated at the Grafton. In late 1913 or early 1914. In November 1973 the cinema was sold for £400,000,On 1 December, its fifteen staff were made redundant and the Grafton Cinema closed its doors for the last time.