Rare Proclamation Copy at GPO

24 April 2002

The copy was acquired, at auction, by An Post in December 2000 and has been professionally conserved, mounted and secured for public viewing in the building which was the headquarters of the 1916 Rising.

An Post Group chief executive John Hynes unveiled the document which is one of very few remaining original copies of the 2,500 ordered to be printed at Liberty Hall on the evening before the Rising.

The unveiling of the An Post Proclamation today was timed to coincide with the 86th anniversary of the Rising which took place on Easter Monday (April 24th) 1916.

Mr Hynes said the Proclamation was a valuable and authentic historical document which was particularly relevant to the GPO which was at the heart of the Rising in 1916.

“The GPO has many visitors during the year. The display of the Proclamation is a significant addition to the history of this great building. The connection between the document and the building is striking”, he added.

The original document clearly reveals the difficulties under which the document was printed. Because of a shortage of type the printers had to use different fonts to provide the required number of the letter “e.”

It was also printed in two sections which is evident from the contrast between the heavily-inked top portion and the more lightly-inked lower section.