The General Post Office (GPO) in Dublin is set for a stunning transformation. A new museum will take center stage in a major plan to breathe new life into the north inner city.
Over the years, the GPO has played host to ceremonies, protests, and plenty of tourists. In 2016, the GPO Witness History exhibition opened inside, offering a look into the events of 1916 and the lives that shaped the Republic.
But that space was always just one part of what the building could be.
Now, the government wants to reimagine the entire GPO complex. According to early plans, the revamped site would house a major museum, with room for arts events, exhibitions, office spaces, and even some retail, making it a vibrant, mixed-use destination.
The proposal, which is heading to Cabinet this week, is a centerpiece of a broader push to regenerate what many still refer to as a "troubled part" of Dublin, the Sunday Business Post reports. The area around O’Connell Street has long struggled with vacancy, crime, and neglect—something the government is keen to address.
The GPO destroyed during the 1916 Easter Rising.
Last October, then-Taoiseach Simon Harris' Dublin City Task Force laid out recommendations to breathe life into the city centre, and the GPO development looks set to lead the charge. Ministers say it will be a “flagship project” with widespread public input.
Officials stress that any changes will respect the historic and emotional significance of the building, not just to Dubliners, but to Irish people everywhere.
The GPO is a cornerstone of Irish history. Completed in 1818, this neoclassical structure on O’Connell Street has seen revolutions, rebirths, and decades of daily life go by its grand columns.
The anniversary of the Proclamation of Independence marked outside the GPO.
Its most famous chapter, of course, came during the 1916 Easter Rising, when it served as the rebel headquarters. The building was heavily shelled by British forces during the week-long insurrection, leaving much of it in ruins. Only the front facade, portico, and granite columns survived.
After the rebellion, the GPO was painstakingly rebuilt and reopened in 1929. Since then, it’s continued as a working post office.
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