End of an era as Curragh post office staff retire

The Curragh Camp Post Office, housed in a historic purpose-built building which dates back to the turn of the last century and before the foundation of the State, is on the move.

Postmaster Sean Sheehy, now 67, is standing down and his retirement will coincide with the opening of a new post office premises. This is located 200 yards away beside Fintan Darling’s launderette.

The service and building closed on Friday, July 19, and reopened on Monday, July 22 under Mr Darling’s management.

The old building will be taken over by the Defence Forces and the new one will be beside an existing business, which is in keeping with An Post’s preference for siting new post offices at locations where businesses are already in place.

The striking red brick building dominates that corner site in the Curragh Camp and it has considerable social and historical importance. This is because it was the first purpose-built post office completed in Ireland, with the exception of the GPO in Dublin. It is thought it was completed around 1900. The office is also staffed by Liz Browne and Breda Sheehy, Sean’s wife and both are also retiring.

Sean has been the postmaster for the better part of 17 years, since March 2003.

“I’m now retiring and this has partly prompted the change of location. If I’d stayed on the building might have continued to be used. But I wasn’t willing to renew the contract. I’ve been working for 53 years — it’s about time I stopped working,” said Sean.

Born in Coill Dubh, Sean lived for a time in Newbridge. But tragedy struck his family when he was a child.

He was only seven when his Dad died, leaving Sean’s mum with the task of rearing a large family on her own in straitened times. So, as was the custom of the era, Sean and another sibling were sent to a relative and he was brought up in London’s East End. When he returned he joined the Army, serving as a private for 21 years.

While the postmaster is looking forward to retirement, he will miss the customers. “This, and probably all post offices, are essential places for people, especially older people to meet. The people who come in her are lovely people; they are what I would call gentle people and while I may not miss working, I will miss the people who came in here.”