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Dublin: 1916 Rebellion Walking Tour & GPO

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1/6

Duration2h

GroupUp to 30

LanguagesEN

Mobile ticketAccepted

Two hours tracing the GPO, Dublin Castle, and the week that changed Ireland

You walk Dublin's historic center for two hours with a professional guide, visiting the GPO, Dublin Castle, and City Hall while learning the story of the 1916 Rising, the War of Independence, and the Civil War. You receive a copy of the 1916 Proclamation at the start and don't need any prior knowledge of Irish history. The fixed route varies by day, so the tour stays fresh even for repeat visitors.

Step-by-step itinerary

Meet at The International Bar
Introduction to Easter Rising background
Visit City Hall and discuss 1916 Rising
Stop at Dublin Castle and discuss history
View Four Courts from bridge and discuss Civil War
See Daniel O'Connell's Memorial and bullet holes
Stop at Big Jim Larkin statue
Visit GPO and learn about Easter 1916 events
Optional visit to Moore Street last stand site
Possible stop at Old Parliament and Trinity College

The Experience

So you're standing outside the International Bar on Wicklow Street and Lorcan Collins hands you a copy of the 1916 Proclamation — the actual words that were read aloud at the GPO just down the street — and suddenly this isn't just a walking tour, it's a conversation about why this matters. The 1916 Rebellion Walking Tour starts with a short setup about the build-up to Easter Week: the Great Hunger, the decades of agitation, the moment when everything tipped. Collins has been running this since 1996, and he knows how to pitch it so you're not drowning in dates but actually following the thread.

The walk itself moves through Dublin's center, hitting the places where the revolution actually happened. You'll stand at City Hall, where the Irish Citizen Army held the building during the Rising. Then Dublin Castle — the seat of British power in Ireland for centuries — and the guide explains its role in both 1916 and the War of Independence that followed. The GPO is the anchor stop, the headquarters where Pearse read the Proclamation, and it's the kind of place where you can feel the weight of what occurred there. Along the way there are smaller stops: Daniel O'Connell's Memorial with its bullet holes from the fighting, the statue of Big Jim Larkin, sometimes Moore Street where the GPO garrison made their final stand. The route shifts depending on the day and the guide's choice, so it doesn't calcify into routine.

What makes this work is that it's not a lecture delivered at you. The guide asks questions, lets people interrupt, doesn't assume you know anything about Irish history or why 1916 matters to the country now. The tour also covers the War of Independence (1919–21) and the Civil War (1922–23), so you get the full arc, not just the famous week. Two hours is tight enough that it moves, long enough that you actually absorb something. You're walking the whole time, so wear shoes that don't punish you, and know that the pace is steady but not rushed.

What’s included

Your tour includes a professional guide, a copy of the 1916 Proclamation, and entry to the outdoor sites visited (GPO, Dublin Castle, City Hall, and other street-level locations).
The guide provides historical context and explanation at each stop.
No meals or additional entry fees are included.

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessiblePublic transport nearbyNot for pregnant travelersNot for heart conditionsNot for back problems

Operated by 1916 Rebellion Walking Tour

Is this one for you?Book this if you want to understand Dublin's role in Irish independence without arranging a guide yourself — the two-hour format fits a morning or afternoon, and the interactive setup means you'll actually retain what you learn rather than just walking past buildings.