Shannon Heritage, GPO Witness History
GPO Witness History visitor centre is located within the historic GPO in Dublin city centre. This interactive experience is a must see for all students as it tells the story of Irish History from the late 1800’s to the present. Students of all ages are offered engaging and educational tours which are linked to the Primary Social Environmental and Scientific curriculum specifically around the strands of working as a historian, eras of change and conflict along with politics, conflict and society.
With major milestones of Irish history addressed, students will gain a conceptual understanding of the 1916 Easter Rising of which the GPO was headquarters, Irish War of Independence, Irish Civil War and the peace process in Northern Ireland. The GPO Witness History is an essential resource for any Junior Cycle History class, with specific strands being addressed in their entirety. For example Strand 2.4 - Examine the rise and impact of nationalism and unionism in Ireland including key events between 1911 and 1923.
The ‘Thomas F. Meagher and the Irish Flag’ exhibition in partnership with the Thomas F. Meagher Foundation was launched last year in the visitor centre. Students will learn about the history of the flag, Thomas F. Meagher and the Foundation which promotes pride in and respect for the Irish Flag and active citizenship. GPO Witness History also includes various flags which represent Ireland’s evolving identities over the years - the tricolour being one of several competing ‘national flags’ unfurled in 1916.
GPO Witness History is constantly evolving and in April a new exhibition ‘The War of Independence – Communication and Conflict’ will launch. It will focus on the impact the War of Independence had on communication and the postal service during this turbulent period.