Cavan Community Cinema - Recurring Screenings

Cavan Arts Festival has been running Cavan Community Cinema since 2025 as a year-round programme of free film screenings spread across community halls and civic spaces throughout County Cavan. It is not a fixed weekly slot or a single festival weekend - it is a rolling series, with each screening standing alone and announced on the festival’s own website and social media when confirmed. The format suits anyone who likes a film with substance behind it: documentaries on Irish life and society, followed by a post-screening conversation with the director or relevant experts.

What to expect

Each screening brings a carefully chosen film into a local community space - previous choices include Unspoken, a documentary by Cavan director Alan Bradley on eating disorders among Irish men (screened at Cavan Institute in May 2025, with the director and a Bodywhys counsellor taking questions after), and Habitat, an award-winning documentary on Irish biodiversity (shown at Belturbet Civic Centre in November 2025). That pattern tells you what to expect: films with a strong Irish angle, a post-film discussion with people who know the subject, and an audience that tends to have something to say.

Admission is free for every screening, but registration is required in advance through a form linked from the event page on the festival website. Places fill up, so it is worth booking as soon as a date is announced. The venue shifts between screenings - Cavan town, Belturbet, and other towns around the county have all hosted - so check the specific location each time. The festival also welcomes film suggestions and community groups who want to host a future screening.

Funding comes from Cavan County Council and PEACEPLUS, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body, which reflects how seriously the programme is taken locally.

Getting there

Cavan town is straightforward to reach by road: the N3 runs directly from Dublin (roughly 1 hour 20 minutes) and connects to Monaghan, Enniskillen, and the wider north-west. Bus Éireann routes serve Cavan town from Dublin, with several departures daily. For screenings at smaller venues like Belturbet, a car is the practical option. Parking in Cavan town is generally available in the town centre car parks off Farnham Street and at the Cavan Retail Park.

While you’re in Cavan

Cavan town is compact and easy to walk around; the county beyond it opens into lakes, drumlins, and the upper Shannon, which rewards a longer stay. There is more to see in Cavan and across Co. Cavan.

Good to know

• Screenings are free; registration via Google Form is required in advance
• Dates and venues are announced on the Cavan Arts Festival website: cavanartsfestival.ie/cavan-community-cinema/
• Sign up to the mailing list by emailing cavanartsfestival.producer@gmail.com
• Venues rotate around the county - confirm the specific location for each screening before travelling
• Each event is standalone; there is no fixed monthly or weekly schedule