Dublin General Post Office - Definition

The General Post Office (GPO), located in Dublin's O'Connell Street, is the headquarters of An Post, the Irish postal service. In 1916 it served as the headquarters of the leaders of the Easter Rising.

During the Easter Rising, the building was extensively damaged and not repaired until the Irish Free State government took the task to itself. The building has remained a symbol of Ireland's nationalism and history; a statute of Cúchulainn is housed in the front of the building. The original columns outside are still pocked with bullet-marks, as a testimony to its violent history.

Formerly Nelson's Pillar was in front of the building, however this was destroyed by the IRA in an explosion in 1966. The Spire of Dublin now takes a dominant position in front of the building.

The GPO, in the aftermath of the IRA's destruction of Nelson's Pillar in 1966.

Easter Proclamation, read by Pádraig Pearse outside the GPO at the start of the Easter Rising, 1916.

New Garda recruits march past the GPO, Tostal 1954

External links

• Irish Architecture Online: GPO history and pictures (http://www.irish-architecture.com/buildings_ireland/dublin/northcity/oconnell_street/gpo.html)
• Project Gutenberg Article (http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/1/2/5/9/12595/12595-h/12595-h.htm)