Friday, June 6, 2014

The GPO of historic import

Between 1814 and 1818, the General Post Office in Dublin was built in a central location on O'Connell Street.

A century later, this became one of the Dublin landmarks to be heavily damaged during the 1916 Easter Rising. Close examination of the building reveals bullet marks.

But it was from the GPO that, under the leadership of Patrick Pearse and James Connolly, the flag of the Independent Ireland was hoisted for the first time.

In the end, these rebels surrendered. They were taken to Kilmanhaim Prison and both Pearse and Connolly were shot by firing squad, as were fourteen others. In death, these men became martyrs to the cause of Home Rule, as the push for Irish Independence was called at the time.

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