A place of business and public service as well as a place of remembrance, protest and pageantry, the GPO deserves the place it holds in the affections of Irish people everywhere.
The General Post Office on Dublin’s main thoroughfare Sackville Street (now O’Connell Street) was the focal point for the events of Easter 1916. It was atop the GPO, the communications heart of the country and the centre of Dublin city, which the rebels chose to hoist the new flag of an Irish Republic.
It was the first building to be taken over by the rebels and it was beneath its grand portico where, just before midday on Easter Monday, rebel leader Padraig Pearse read out the Proclamation declaring Ireland to be an independent sovereign Republic.
William Butler Yeats was so moved by the events of the Rising that he wrote a poem called Easter 1916. This poem includes one of the most famous lines in all of Irish literature: "All changed, changed utterly: A terrible beauty is born."
Modern Ireland grew from the catalyst for change that was the 1916 Rising. In Easter 2016, the GPO will once again take centre stage as Ireland remembers this landmark occasion.
The new permanent exhibition in the GPO will reflect the tumultuous events of 100 years ago using the latest immersive technology. Long a focal point of Dublin city centre, the GPO is still in operation as Ireland’s largest post office. However the exhibition will allow visitors to step beyond the usual boundaries and into the very heart of this significant building.
An Post GPO Witness History Based will be based in a brand-new €7 million centre in the inner courtyard of the GPO, with its hallowed public Post Office hall, original brass fittings, writing desks and revered Cu Chulainn statue.
Visitors will experience an immersive and action-packed attraction, appealing to a broad range of ages, interests and nationalities. It will provide a close-up look at real life in Dublin city, and across Ireland and the wider world at the time of the 1916 Easter Rising.
An Post GPO Witness History tells a human story, rooted in the GPO building. Live through the action with the leaders of the day and witness opposing sides plotting, planning and enduring the week’s events across the city. From opulent suburbs to wretched tenements, crumbling empires to burgeoning states, you’ll also meet the ordinary folk, young and old, who found themselves at the centre of events that week, their lives changed forever.
Forty children died during the 1916 Easter Rising, tragically caught in the crossfire between the Irish rebels and British troops. The exhibition will include a memorial to these young lives that were so heartbreakingly cut short.
Prepare for an assault on the senses, an eye-opening experience and fresh, new perspectives on the events of the time, as well as the sights, sounds and legacy.
Created by An Post and managed by Shannon Heritage, An Post GPO Witness History is an engaging, interactive visitor attraction bringing history to life though technology, video, sound and authentic artefacts – many previously unseen. Its special effects, soundscapes and heartfelt stories of real people in extraordinary circumstances will captivate all age-groups – from the curious, young international visitor to the well-informed history buff – there’s plenty to interest and engage individuals, families and touring groups.
The website for the centre can be found at www.gpowitnesshistory.ie. Here you will find details on the visitor centre, the exhibits, and an outline of the role the GPO had to play in the 1916 Easter Rising, as well as a broader history of the GPO itself.
Ionad gnó agus seirbhís phoiblí mar aon le háit chuimhneacháin, agóide agus mórthaibhseachta, tá gean mhuintir na hÉireann i ngach áit tuillte ag Ard-Oifig an Phoist.
Ba í Ard-Oifig an Phoist ar phríomhshráid Bhaile Átha Cliath, Sráid Sackville (Sráid Uí Chonaill anois), an pointe fócais d’imeachtaí na Cásca 1916. Ba ar bharr Ard-Oifig an Phoist, croílár cumarsáide na tíre agus lár chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath, a roghnaigh na reibiliúnaithe bratach nua Phoblacht na hÉireann a ardú.
Ba í an chéad fhoirgneamh í ar ghabh na reibiliúnaithe agus ba faoina póirseáid mhór, díreach roimh mheán lae ar Luan Cásca, a léigh an ceannaire reibiliúnach Pádraig Mac Piarais an Forógra a dhearbhaigh go raibh Éire le bheith ina Poblacht neamhspleách cheannasach.
Bhí tionchar chomh mór sin ag imeachtaí an Éirí Amach ar William Butler Yeats gur scríobh sé dán dar teideal Easter 1916. Áirítear sa dán sin ceann de na línte is cáiliúla i litríocht na hÉireann: “All changed, changed utterly: A terrible beauty is born.”
D’fhás Éire Nua-aimseartha as an gcatalaíoch don athrú a bhí in Éirí Amach 1916. Um Cháisc 2016, beidh Ard-Oifig an Phoist i lár an aonaigh arís agus Éire ag comóradh na hócáide stairiúla seo.
Léireofar sa taispeántas nua buan in Ard-Oifig an Phoist na himeachtaí corraitheacha 100 bliain ó shin leis an teicneolaíocht thumthach is déanaí. Tá Ard-Oifig an Phoist, atá ina pointe fócais i lár chathair Bhaile Átha Cliath le fada, fós ag feidhmiú mar an oifig phoist is mó in Éirinn. Ach féadfaidh cuairteoirí dul thar na gnáth-theorainneacha agus isteach i gcroílár an fhoirgnimh shuntasach seo mar gheall ar an taispeántas.
Beidh Ionad Cuairteoirí Ard-Oifig an Phoist – Féach ar an Stair lonnaithe in ionad úrnua €7 milliún i gclós inmheánach Ard-Oifig an Phoist, ina bhfuil halla poiblí clúiteach Oifig an Phoist, feistis bhunaidh chré-umha, deasca scríbhneoireachta agus dealbh Chú Chulainn a bhfuil an-tóir air.
Gheobhaidh cuairteoirí taithí ar ní is díol spéise tumthach agus lán le gníomhaíocht, a thaitneoidh le raon leathan aoiseanna, suimeanna agus náisiúntachtaí. Tabharfaidh sé mionspléachadh ar an saol i gcathair Bhaile Átha Cliath, agus ar fud na hÉireann agus ar an domhan i gcoitinne tráth Éirí Amach 1916.
Insítear scéal daonna, fite fuaite leis an bhfoirgneamh, in Ionad Cuairteoirí Ard-Oifig an Phoist – Féach ar an Stair. Mair tríd an ngníomhaíocht le ceannairí an lae agus feic na taobhanna freasúra ag comhcheilg, ag pleanáil agus ag maireachtáil trí imeachtaí na seachtaine ar fud na cathrach. Ó bhruachbhailte galánta go tionóntachtaí gránna, ó impireachtaí ag titim go stáit ag fás, buailfidh tú chomh maith le gnáthdhaoine, idir óg agus aosta, a bhí i lár imeachtaí na seachtaine sin, agus ar athraigh a saol go brách.
Fuair dhá scór leanbh bás i rith Éirí Amach na Cásca 1916, sa chroslámhach idir reibiliúnaithe na hÉireann agus trúpaí na Breataine. Áireofar sa taispeántas cuimhneachán do na daoine óga seo, a fuair bás ró-óg.
Réitigh i gcomhair ionsaí ar na céadfaí, taithí úr a osclóidh do shúile, dearcadh nua ar imeachtaí an ama, mar aon le radhairc, le fuaimeanna agus le hoidhreacht an ama.
Díol spéise suimiúil, idirghníomhach is ea Ionad Cuairteoirí Ard-Oifig an Phoist – Féach ar an Stair, arna chruthú ag an Post agus arna bhainistiú ag Oidhreacht na Sionainne, a thugann an stair ina beatha trí theicneolaíocht, trí fhíseán, trí fhuaim agus trí dhéantáin bharántúla – nach bhfacthas mórán díobh cheana. Beidh gach aoisghrúpa faoi dhraíocht ag na héifeachtaí speisialta, ag na fuaimdhreacha agus ag na scéalta ón gcroí faoi ghnáthdhaoine i gcúinsí eisceachtúla – ón gcuairteoir óg, fiosrach go dtí an saineolaí staire – tá neart a mbeidh suim ag gach duine, teaghlach agus grúpa turais ann.
Is féidir an suíomh gréasáin don ionad seo a aimsiú ag www.gpowitnesshistory.ie. Gheobhaidh tú sonraí anseo ar an ionad cuairteoirí, ar na taispeántais, agus breac-chuntas ar ról Ard-Oifig an Phoist in Éirí Amach na Cásca 1916, mar aon le stair níos leithne Ard-Oifig an Phoist féin.