Less than a century after it was opened it was almost completely destroyed during the Easter Rising of 1916 when two republican flags were hoisted above what became the headquarters of the rebels. The Proclamaton of the Republic was read from the steps of the GPO by Padraig Pearse. As most of us know, the Easter Rising lasted a very short amount of time and most of the leaders were executed at Kilmainham Gaol.
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Although the Easter Rising was a failure, it eventually led to the War of Independence.
All that remains of the original buildling by Johnston is the facade, seen here with its six Ionic columns built of Portland Stone. The statue in the middle is a representation of Hibernia.
O'Connell Street is well worth a visit after dark, when the crowds have gone and the roads are less busy; the GPO and the rest of O'Connell Street make for a great cityscape, especially on these warmer summer evenings.
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