Inside Dublin’s General Post Office (GPO) is a statue of which Dubliners are proud. It’s a statue of Cú Chulainn, an important figure in Irish mythology. Set in the heart of the building, this statue is a monument commemorating the Easter Rising of 1916. Chosen by Eamon de Valera in 1935, the statue is today a symbol of Dublin’s history.
In Irish mythology, Cú Chulainn is the son of the warrior god Lugh and the mortal woman Deichtine. A heroic figure, he is part of Ireland’s cultural heritage, and a true model of moral and political sacrifice in Ireland.
That’s why his presence at Dublin’s General Post is no coincidence. As a reminder, the GPO was the scene of the Easter Rising in 1916. An event that plunged Ireland into a period of struggle.
Many Irish people sacrificed themselves in the name of one idea: Irish independence. And many died in the fighting.
That’s why sculptor Oliver Sheppard chose the mythological hero Cú Chulainn to pay tribute to the many Irish people who sacrificed their lives for this cause. It depicts the Irish hero at the moment of his death, killed in battle by his sworn enemy Lugaid.
It would also be a direct tribute to Patrick Pearse, one of the leaders of the Insurrection. Writer William Butler Yeats is said to have traced the uprising, describing Patrick Pearse as inhabited by Cú Chulainn. A great figure of courage and resilience.
The statue itself is magnificent. Made in bronze, it has a majestic, tragic charm worthy of the greatest mythological tragedies.
At the time, Eamon de Valera was quoted as saying that the work was “a beautiful sculpture, representing the creation of Irish genius, and symbolizing the intrepid courage and constancy of the Irish people“.
A patriotic performance that’s well worth the detour, if only to gain a better understanding of Irish history.
The statue can be admired free of charge at the GPO.
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