General Post Office (GPO)

Overview

The GPO on O'Connell Street is one of Ireland's most iconic buildings — not merely a functioning post office but the headquarters of the 1916 Easter Rising, the event that catalysed Irish independence.

Highlights

• GPO Witness History: An immersive exhibition in the building's former sorting area, covering the Rising through multimedia and original artefacts.
• Bullet Holes: The Portland stone columns of the 1818 façade still bear bullet and shrapnel marks from 1916.
• The Proclamation: A copy of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic, first read aloud here by Patrick Pearse on Easter Monday 1916.

History

Designed by Francis Johnston and completed in 1818, the GPO served as the headquarters of the Irish Volunteers and Irish Citizen Army during the Easter Rising. The building was gutted by fire and shelling, then reconstructed and reopened in 1929.

Visitor Tips

• The Witness History exhibition (€13) is in the rear — the main post office hall is free to enter.
• Stand beneath the portico where the Proclamation was read.
• Duration: 30–45 minutes.