General Post Office

The General Post Office on O'Connell Street is far more than a working post office — for the Irish, it's a national shrine and the most important monument to their fight for independence. Anyone trying to understand the 1916 Easter Rising can't skip the GPO. The magnificent public hall is free to walk into, while the history unfolds inside the "GPO Witness History" museum.

Architecture and history

The GPO was built between 1814 and 1818 to designs by architect Francis Johnston in the Greek Revival style, opening as the main post office on 6 January 1818. The main structure is Wicklow granite, while the striking portico with its six Ionic columns is Portland stone. Three statues by sculptor John Smyth crown the roof: Mercury with his herald's staff and purse, Fidelity with a key, and Hibernia, the personification of Ireland, with harp and spear.

It was the last great Georgian public building erected in Dublin. The same architect, Francis Johnston, is also thought to have designed the Clock Tower Building, now home to the Chester Beatty.

The 1916 Easter Rising

On 24 April 1916, several hundred members of the Irish Volunteers and the Irish Citizen Army occupied the GPO as the headquarters of the Easter Rising. Patrick Pearse read the Proclamation of the Irish Republic outside the building. After six days of fierce fighting, the rebels surrendered. The building's interior was completely destroyed by British artillery fire and the blazes that followed — only the granite façade and portico survived the fighting. Bullet holes are still visible on the columns today.

Reconstruction continued until 1929. The interior gained the Art Deco touches that still define the public hall today. In 1935, the bronze statue "The Death of Cúchulainn" by Oliver Sheppard was installed inside. It depicts the mythical Irish hero at the moment of his death and symbolises the rebels' sacrifice. In the same Rising, other units occupied further buildings across the city, including City Hall — the wider story is covered in the guide Dublin History.

GPO Witness History

Since March 2016, the GPO has housed the award-winning "GPO Witness History" museum. The interactive exhibition documents the Easter Rising and the birth of the Irish Republic through original artefacts, touchscreens, video installations and a film that puts you right in the middle of events. In 2017, the museum received the Micheletti Award from the European Museum Academy.

• Audio guide: free via QR code on your own smartphone, or hire a handset for €2.00. Available in English, Irish, German, French, Italian and Spanish — so don't forget your headphones.
• Guided tours: public tours run on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 14:30 (around 1 to 1¼ hours), after which you're free to keep exploring on your own.
• Accessibility: the museum is fully wheelchair accessible, with seating available throughout.

Tickets and prices

The museum charges admission; the public hall does not. Booking online is cheapest: adults pay €15.00, seniors and students €13.00, children aged 6 to 13 €7.50, and a family ticket (2 adults plus 2 children) €40.00. Walk-in prices are higher — €17.00 for adults, €15.00 for seniors and students, €8.50 for children aged 6 to 13, and €45.00 for a family of 2+2. Children under 6 go free. Booking online saves €2 to €5 per ticket and locks in a fixed time slot; on busy days, pre-booked visitors take priority over walk-ins, so booking ahead effectively works as a skip-the-line option.

You can book directly on the official site, gpomuseum.ie. For an overview of tickets and savings passes for Dublin's attractions, see the guide Tickets.

Visiting and practicalities

Allow around 1 to 1.5 hours for the museum, or about 2 hours in total with the public hall. It's quietest on weekdays shortly after opening at 10:00; weekends and afternoons get busier.

• Museum opening hours: Monday to Saturday 10:00–17:00, last admission 16:00. Closed Sundays, public holidays and Christmas Eve.
• Post office opening hours: Monday to Saturday 08:30–18:00 (opening at 09:00 on the last Tuesday of the month, except in December). Closed Sundays and public holidays.
• Public hall: free to enter during post office hours — worth a look at the Art Deco hall and the Cúchulainn statue even if you skip the museum.
• Getting there: the green Luas line stops right outside at "O'Connell – GPO", and numerous bus routes also serve O'Connell Street.

Every year, the state's official Easter commemoration of the 1916 Rising takes place in front of the GPO. In 2026 it marks the 110th anniversary: on Easter Sunday, 5 April 2026, at 12:00, with assembly in the public areas from 11:30 and big screens set up. The public is welcome to attend.

Right outside stands The Spire, reaching into the sky, and just a short walk away are St Mary's Pro-Cathedral and O'Connell Bridge. For more ideas on planning your day, see the overview Attractions.