General Post Office

Ireland gained its independence as a result of the ongoing struggles of nationalist groups and the War of Independence. This all took place, roughly speaking, in the decade starting from 1912. One of the most significant events in this period was the Easter Rising of 1916 and central to this insurrection was Dublin’s General Post Office.

That Easter Rising is one of the most significant events in recent Irish history and it was the Post Office that served as headquarters for the uprising’s leaders. On Easter Monday of that year, members of the Irish Volunteers and Irish Citizen Army, led by Patrick Pearse, took control of the GPO building. Elsewhere in the city, other key locations were also taken by other rebel groups.

The ensuing siege and efforts to extricate Pearse and his supporters from the barricaded Post Office involved much of the north area of the city and lasted for seven days. In their attempts to regain control, the British forces left extensive damage on the building and the original columns still bear the bullet marks. The building was again heavily damaged by bombardment during the Civil War that broke out in 1922.

Ever since the Easter Rising, the Dublin GPO has retained its scars of the struggles and has status as a symbol of Irish nationalism and history. The entire building was pretty much destroyed in the fighting, apart from the façade, and it was not until 1929 that the damage was repaired and the Post Office reopened.

Inside there is an impressive bronze sculpture of the mythical Irish warrior Cúchulainn, the legendary knight of the Red Branch. This is dedicated to the valiant souls who lost their lives in the uprising and used as a symbol by Loyalist and Republican paramilitary groups alike.

Construction of the GPO building, which was designed by Frances Johnston, began in 1814 and it was completed and opened four years later. The Post Office was one of the last of the great Georgian buildings to be erected in the capital with its grand Ionic columns and Greco-Roman pilasters.

It is also the headquarters of the state-run Irish postal service An Post and as a working post office, can tend to get quite busy at times. While there, you could pay a visit to the Philatelic Office where you can buy commemorative stamps as an innovative souvenir option.

Many years later, the General Post Office is still regarded as an iconic symbol for the Irish and, even to this day, demonstrations and protests are typically rallied on its steps.

The GPO is very easy to find, as it is in a very central location in one of the city’s main arteries – O’Connell Street. If you need further help then aim for the giant Spire of Dublin, a massive pointy silver cone, which is directly in front of it. This went up in 2002 as a replacement for Nelson’s Pillar, following its destruction by an IRA explosion in 1966.