FROM THE ARCHIVES:FIVE YEARS after the Easter Rising and at the height of the War of Independence, plans were afoot to rebuild the GPO in Dublin, as this report on The Irish Times Building & Reconstructionpage explained. It was not reopened formally until 1929. – JOE JOYCE
Since the destruction of the Dublin General Post Office in Sackville street in April 1916, the authorities have been looking ahead, and for once, at any rate, they seem to have looked well into the future, and have prepared for it.
It is known that the [British] Government, taking full advantage of the opportunity offered, have purchased extensive and valuable building sites both in Henry street and Prince’s street, including the entire site of the Coliseum Theatre.
The new and extended side will have a frontage of about 350 feet to Prince’s street, a slightly less frontage to Henry street with, of course, the entire area of ground lying between those streets.
In other words, the actual area of ground now belonging to the Post Office, and to be utilised in its reconstruction and enlargement, is, it is understood, more than double that of the destroyed building.
It is understood that a great deal of attention has already been given to the many important questions in connection with the reconstruction in order that the Post Office, when again ready for use, may be worthy of its position in the city – may afford commodious and convenient space for the public, and as well provide adequate accommodation for the entire Headquarters Staff of the Post Office, several branches of which are, as they have been for many years, in various parts of the city.
We gather that in considering the new scheme, the authorities are agreed that the Public Office shall occupy the position just behind the portico in Sackville street, and entered from it, the same as the office which had just been opened a week or two before the rebellion. This arrangement is the best that could be devised, and is at once convenient and dignified.
On either side of the Public Office at the Henry street and Prince’s street corners will be rooms for the Supervising Staff and a very short way down the streets will be the staff entrances and the two main staircases affording access to all the floors of the building.
Immediately behind the Public Office, on the ground floor, will be a very fine sorting office, with the letter carriers, sorting rooms, cloakrooms, lavatories, etc., in the Henry street and Prince’s street wings. Beyond the sorting office will be the mails loading and unloading platform under cover, with a vanyard sufficiently extensive to admit of the rapid and efficient handling of all mails.
The first floor of the entire building will be devoted almost exclusively for the use of the Secretary’s Department, or, as may perhaps happen in the future, the Postmaster-General’s Department and staff.
Accommodation will be found on the second floors for the Accountant and his staff, the Solicitor’s Department, the Chief Superintending Engineer and his staff, and the Surveyor’s Branch, Records and Registry, etc.
The Telegraph and Telephone Departments will be located on the third floor, while on the fourth floor excellent kitchen and diningroom accommodation for the entire staff will probably be found. Ample cloakroom and lavatory accommodation will be provided on the several floors.
The nature and extent of the accommodation to be provided, as well as the difficulty and excessive cost of brick and stone work, will probably compel the authorities to follow the excellent example set by the owners of other, though much smaller, undertakings, to resort to the use of reinforced concrete wherever possible.
It is probably safe to assume that when labour troubles become less troublesome, and prices of materials drop to a reasonable figure, a commencement in earnest will be made with the reconstruction of Dublin’s most important building.
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