Green Light for GPO: Witness History – a permanent exhibition marking the centenary of the 1916 Rising

19 March 2014

Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Jimmy Deenihan TD and Minister for Communications, Pat Rabbitte TD visited the GPO to review the plans for the project which is one of the State’s key 2016 initiatives.  The new centre will extend from the GPO’s main public post office hall, incorporating most of an inner courtyard and some current An Post offices at the rear.

The Centre will house a permanent exhibition marking the centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising, and it will focus on a theme of the GPO as ‘Witness to History’. The GPO will continue to operate as the State’s flagship Post Office and An Post’s headquarters while the integrity of the public Post Office hall and its unique original 1929 features will be retained in their current layout.

Speaking at the GPO Minister Deenihan said: "I am delighted that this project now has full planning permission. The GPO on O'Connell Street is an iconic location of great importance to the Irish people. When delivered, this interpretative centre at the GPO will be a major part of our Centenary commemoration of the Easter Rising of 1916. This year, the Government has allocated €6 million in funding to support a number of important commemorative projects including this one”.
 
Reviewing the plans, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, Mr Pat Rabbitte TD commented: “The GPO on O’Connell Street has long been the communications hub of this country. I am delighted to see the efforts of An Post in preserving the memories of the past through the Exhibition and Interpretative Centre, particularly in advance of the Centenary of the 1916 Easter Rising, while they continue to work to modernise services for the future.”

Construction is expected to commence over the summer months and to be fully completed and ready for opening to the public at Easter 2016. 

Media contact:  Anna McHugh – An Post – 086 2530697
Editor’s Notes 

• The GPO is the key landmark building on O’Connell Street and has iconic status in terms of Dublin City.  A postal service has existed in Ireland for 350 years. The headquarters of the Irish Post Office, the GPO was completed in 1818 and was designed by Francis Johnston, first president of the Royal Hibernian Academy and the leading architect of his day. It is in the early 19th century Greek revival style, built of granite and Portland stone and comprises six Greek Ionic Columns supporting a portico adorned by Mercury,Hibernia and Fidelity sculpted by Edward Smyth. 
• The GPO underwent a number of alterations throughout its first 100 years. It had just undergone extensive modernisation a month before it became the headquarters of the insurgents during the 1916 Rising. The Proclamation of the Irish Republic was read out on the steps of the building, signalling the start of the Rising. It was extensively damaged during the ensuing battle and a subsequent fire, and was reconstructed in 1925 before re-opening in 1929.
• The GPO is a Protected Structure owing to its historic, social and architectural importance within the Irish architectural canon. It currently houses the corporate headquarters of An Post, along with a large retail post office, the busiest in the State. The GPO complex also includes the GPO Arcade (Prince’s Street North and Henry Street) in addition to retail properties along Henry Street.