A refurbished, modernised GPO building on O’Connell Street in Dublin would be an ideal venue for a large museum of the Irish nation, according to An Post chief executive David McRedmond.
“I would be a big fan of a museum of the Irish nation,” he told The Irish Times in an extensive interview. “A place of pilgrimage for the diaspora. It could be a massive attraction and get a lot of people in.”
Opened in 1818, the GPO was the headquarters of State-owned An Post until mid-2023 when it moved to a modern office building in the north docks, called Exo.
Some 200 employees of the company continue to be based at the GPO, including those working in the post office at the front of the building.
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Mr McRedmond said the first 10-20 metres of the large complex could be retained, but the offices at the back were no longer useful and needed to be redeveloped.
The complex stretches from O’Connell Street west towards Arnotts and includes some surface car parking.
“The rest of it needs to be knocked down and rebuilt,” he said. “It will be a huge job. We’re not out of there because we want to be out of there. It’s just not fit for purpose any more.”
However, Mr McRedmond said the GPO could have an exciting future if redeveloped.
“It will end up being some kind of national competition, I would imagine. Both in terms of what the use would be and the design. It’s very exciting, it will be absolutely brilliant for the city.”
The An Post chief executive would also be in favour of RTÉ relocating its radio operations to the GPO, which previously housed radio broadcasts by 2RN, a predecessor of RTÉ. “That would be fantastic for the city,” he said.
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Mr McRedmond’s views on the future of the GPO is his “personal preferences” for the historic building and not linked to his role as chairman of the Dublin City Taskforce, which was set up by the Government to draw up proposals to reinvigorate the city centre in the wake of the riots in November 2023.
Among its 10 “Big Move” recommendations is a proposal to redevelop the GPO as a “major public building”.
The Government last week approved the establishment of a new body to oversee the delivery of these recommendations, operating under Dublin City Council.
It is to have a role in supporting the Office of Public Works in the redevelopment of the GPO, while the surrounding area is also to receive investment.
The GPO was designed by Armagh-born architect Francis Johnston, and the foundation stone was laid by Charles Whitworth, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, in August 1814. The building opened its doors to the public in January 1818.
It was destroyed by fire during the 1916 Easter Rising, before being expanded and rebuilt. It reopened in 1929.
