Calls for the GPO to become National Veterans Centre

"The GPO was the birthplace of Óglaigh Náisiúnta Na Éireann. Return it to Veterans."

That's the suggestion that was made by ONE (Óglaigh Náisiúnta Na Éireann / the Organisation of National Ex-Service Personnel), the Irish Defence Forces veterans' charity, yesterday (April 17 last). 

The charity, which provides housing and mental health services to Defence Forces veterans, has claimed that the establishment of a National Veterans Centre in the GPO "would assist in the provision of key services to the Irish veteran community in Ireland and serve as a form of national recognition to Irish veterans". 

Its appeal comes ahead of the appointment of an interdepartmental committee to explore future uses of the GPO, which is to be taken over by the Office of Public Works (OPW) following an official handover by An Post.

Speaking about the importance of the GPO to veterans, the CEO of ONE, Cormac Kirwan, said: "The GPO was the birthplace of Óglaigh Náisiúnta Na Éireann serving as the headquarters of the Irish Volunteers during the 1916 Rising.

"This is a rare opportunity to place veterans at the heart of our public consciousness by giving them pride of place in one of our most recognised public buildings."

He added: "With the establishment of an Office of Veteran Affairs outlined in the Programme for Government coupled with a National Veterans Centre in the GPO, we could begin to fully harness the potential of Ireland's national veteran community right at the heart of Dublin’s City Centre while ensuring access to services for vulnerable veterans."

ONE currently operates a nationwide network of 35 Branches and 15 Veteran Support Centres, alongside four veterans homes in Dublin, Athlone, Cobh, and Letterkenny, with a fifth home to be established in Cork City by 2028.

 L-R: Chairman of ONE, Colm Campbell; Minister of State for Defence Jennifer Carroll McNeill, Defence Forces; Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Seán Clancy; President of ONE, Mick Kinahan; Secretary General of the Department of Defence Jacqui McCrum; and CEO of ONE Cormac Kirwan at the launch of Óglaigh Náisiúnta na hÉireann's Annual Fuchsia Appeal at the National Memorial in Merrion Square. Photograph supplied by ONE

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