Located along Highway #3 about five kilometres south of Killarney, the Shamrock Drive-In was opened on 22 July 1953 by businessman Gordon Cyril Cowan (1907-1961). The facility was sold in 1959 to David and Dorothy (McShane) Gibson. As of 2000, it was being operated by Dorothy Gibson and David Ransome, then was sold in 2011 to Darren and Joanne Struss. Ed Wells was the projectionist for more than 25 years.
At the time of its opening, the facility had space for 190 vehicles and featured in-car speakers (some of which still existed at the time of a 2019 site visit), a 45-foot-high projection screen made of pressure-treated wood and metal siding, and a building in the centre that contained projection equipment, food concessions, and washrooms.
In 1994, a tornado destroyed part of the projection screen. Four years later, in July 2015, another storm destroyed almost half of the screen, but the Strusses managed to finish the season by showing movies on what was left of it. They planned to rebuild it and make a major investment by purchasing a used digital projection system from a former drive-in in Idaho. The original screen would be entirely replaced with a stronger one as opposed to rebuilding the section that was torn apart. However, in June 2016, powerful winds took down the remaining portion of the screen.
In June 2023, the drive-in resumed showing movies due to its new projection screen made out of stacked railway shipping containers.
Shamrock Drive-In with destroyed screen in background (August 2019)
Source: Rose Kuzina
Shamrock Drive-In ticket office (August 2019)
Source: Rose Kuzina
Shamrock Drive-In concession stand (August 2019)
Source: Rose Kuzina
New projection screen at the Shamrock Drive-In (July 2023)
Source: Rose KuzinaSite Coordinates (lat/long): N49.15748, W99.65956
denoted by symbol on the map above
“Killarney drive-in to open Wednesday,” Brandon Sun, 18 July 1953, page 6.
“Gordon C. Cowan laid to rest,” Gladstone Age Press, 22 February 1961, page 8.
Reflections 1882-1982: A Community History of the Rural Municipality of Turtle Mountain and the Town of Killarney compiled by committees representing the J. A. Victor David Museum and New Horizons, 1982. [Manitoba Legislative Library]
More Reflections: R.M. of Turtle Mountain, Town of Killarney 1982-2007 by Killarney History Book Committee, 2007. [Manitoba Legislative Library]
“Shamrock shake,” Winnipeg Sun, 27 June 2016.
Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.
This page was prepared by Rose Kuzina and Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 13 February 2024
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