Cinemas are overwhelmed - even at previews

The Ster Century cineplex, at Dublin's Liffey Valley shopping centre, will take bookings up to four weeks in advance.

"But when news came out that Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was opening here, we started getting calls months ago from people trying to book for Christmas and the new year."

Assistant manager at Ster Century, Dublin Ms Mary Kilgannon was speaking on her way to the front entrance of the cineplex, armed with SOLD OUT signs for all of that afternoon's screenings of the movie.

"People just want to make sure their kids don't miss out. We can't take bookings that far in advance, but we have been taking bookings for the past month for this weekend. It is the busiest Saturday I've seen," she added, negotiating her way around the queues for popcorn, ice-cream and other bewitching treats.

The "paid preview" screenings over the weekend were "completely sold out" a spokesperson for the ciniplex added yesterday afternoon. Some six screens facilitated 19 shows on each day, to an estimated 2,200 people per screening.

Even allowing for the fact that a number of people probably watched the movie more than a few times, about 40,000 people saw the film at the Dublin screenings alone before it officially opens on Friday.

There were similar previews around the State, according to Ms Kate Bowe, of Kate Bowe PR Ltd, which is handling the publicity for perhaps the biggest cinematic event since Star Wars: Episode One in 1999 - for this young audience at any rate.

Among the children at the Dublin preview on Saturday morning were the young Irish star of the film, Devon Murray, Pierce Brosnan and his family, Gay Byrne, Samantha Mumba, Gerry Ryan and his children, Joe Duffy, Sean McGinley, Ray D'Arcy and singer, Liam O'Maonla∅.

Accompanying the film is a myriad of merchandising, offering the chance not only to read the book and see the film, but to carry the school bag, lie on the inflatable bed and eat the chocolate frogs too.

The next instalment of Pottermania will be released, helpfully, just in time for Christmas 2002.