Ireland

An Post moves headquarters from Dublin's historic GPO

Commandant Daire Roache reads the Proclamation of the Irish Republic at the GPO during last year's commemoration if the Easter Rising in Dublin. Picture by Niall Carson/PA
Commandant Daire Roache reads the Proclamation of the Irish Republic at the GPO during last year's commemoration if the Easter Rising in Dublin. Picture by Niall Carson/PA

An Post has moved its headquarters from the historic GPO in Dublin to new premises in the city.

The Republic's postal service has been based in the iconic building in O'Connell Street since it was officially formed in 1984 following the abolishing of the Department of Posts and Telegraphs.

Around 900 An Post staff have now moved out of the GPO to its new headquarters in the EXO Building on North Wall Quay.

Plans for An Post to depart the GPO emerged in 2019, and the company is expected to continue occupying some office space in the building over the next two years before returning it to the Republic's Office of Public Works.

A public post office is set to remain in the building following the completion of the move.

Completed in 1818, the GPO has become one of Ireland's most iconic buildings, after it was used as the headquarters of the leaders of the Easter Rising in 1916.

Revolutionary Patrick Pearse famously read the Proclamation of the Irish Republic from its steps.

The interior of the building was destroyed during shelling by British forces, and was later rebuilt in 1929.

The portico facade of the building was said to have retained the scars of bullets fired during the Rising, though this claim was disputed by An Post in 2005.

Tour guides in Dublin still make the claim that the pock marks on the granite columns were caused by gunfire.