The Pillar returns to O’Connell Street

5 August 2016

‘The Pillar’ is just part of an amazing LEGO recreation of the GPO and Sackville Street over Easter weekend 1916, now on public display in the GPO main hall.  The model comprises 50,000 pieces, carefully built over two years by LEGO modelling enthusiast Paul Derrick.

The LEGO GPO, complete with Pillar, trams, troops and neighbouring buildings is a dramatic representation of the scene around Sackville Street at the height of the fighting. Soldiers, policemen, rebels - including a wounded James Connolly - and the blazing post office all feature in minute detail.

The magical appeal of LEGO has been evident in the numbers of customers and tourists flocking to see impressive model, the latest An Post’s exhibit to mark the 1916 Centenary and the opening of its new GPO Witness History Visitor Centre.

“Co Monaghan-based LEGO modeller, Paul Derrick, spent two years designing the model and sourcing LEGO pieces from all over the world and it’s truly a work of art”, explained An Post’s Anna McHugh.  To see so many customers and visitors of all ages and nationalities enthralled by the scale and detail of the 50,000 piece model is wonderful, in this special year, she added.

Eight year-old Katie O’Neill from Kentstown, Co Meath described the model as ‘amazing’: “We did a school project about the GPO so it’s great to see this and be in the real GPO” she commented.  Her grandmother, Catherine O’Neill from Finglas remembered how she was at a dance in the Old Metropole Theatre, right next door to the GPO, the night that Nelson’s Pillar was blown up.  “We felt the dancefloor shaking but it didn’t stop us dancing,” laughed Catherine. 

The LEGO GPO will be on display in the main Post Office hall seven days a week, for the rest of the holiday season.