INSIDE THE GPO ***NEW SERIES***

Cleaner Sue Gannon and Patrolman Philip Freer, Inside the GPO, RTÉ One Image Name: Cleaner Sue Gannon and Patrolman Philip Freer, Inside the GPO, RTÉ One Description: Cleaner Sue Gannon and Patrolman Philip Freer, Inside the GPO, RTÉ One
Cleaner Sue Gann, Inside the GPO, RTÉ One Image Name: Cleaner Sue Gann, Inside the GPO, RTÉ One Description: Cleaner Sue Gann, Inside the GPO, RTÉ One
Patrolman Philip Freer, Inside the GPO, RTÉ One Image Name: Patrolman Philip Freer, Inside the GPO, RTÉ One Description: Patrolman Philip Freer, Inside the GPO, RTÉ One
Patrolman Philip Freer, Inside the GPO, RTÉ One Image Name: Patrolman Philip Freer, Inside the GPO, RTÉ One Description: Patrolman Philip Freer, Inside the GPO, RTÉ One
Inside the GPO, RTÉ One Image Name: Inside the GPO, RTÉ One Description: Inside the GPO, RTÉ One
Inside the GPO, RTÉ One Image Name: Inside the GPO, RTÉ One Description: Inside the GPO, RTÉ One
Inside the GPO, RTÉ One Image Name: Inside the GPO, RTÉ One Description: Inside the GPO, RTÉ One
Inside the GPO, RTÉ One Image Name: Inside the GPO, RTÉ One Description: Inside the GPO, RTÉ One
Cleaner Sue Gann, Inside the GPO, RTÉ One Image Name: Cleaner Sue Gann, Inside the GPO, RTÉ One Description: Cleaner Sue Gann, Inside the GPO, RTÉ One
Cleaner Sue Gannon and Patrolman Philip Freer, Inside the GPO, RTÉ One Image Name: Cleaner Sue Gannon and Patrolman Philip Freer, Inside the GPO, RTÉ One Description: Cleaner Sue Gannon and Patrolman Philip Freer, Inside the GPO, RTÉ One

Broadcast Details: Tuesday 15th March, 7.00pm

Best known as the headquarters of the 1916 Rising, the GPO has been at the heart of Irish life for 200 years. This series goes behind the scenes at Ireland's busiest post office;  home to 950 staff, a microcosm of Irish society, and caretaker of letters, parcels, hopes and stories. 

Inside the GPO

For nearly 200 years, the General Post Office on O’Connell Street has stood at the heart of Dublin; an icon of Irish history, an architectural gem and a stately backdrop to the life of the capital city.

 

Best known as the headquarters of the 1916 Rising, it isn’t just a monument to the past. It’s the high church of post and parcels, a forum for public protest, a shelter from the wind and rain and for 950 staff, the office.

 

Leading up to the most important anniversary since the GPO was first built,  RTÉ was given access to film life inside the walls of the GPO, capturing the daily life and work of the staff – and those who use its services – to transport their letters, parcels and oftentimes, stories and emotions.  This six month period, in addition to the daily postal business, also saw the development of a new €10 million visitor centre, constructed right in the centre of the GPO courtyard.

 

During filming, a cast of characters emerged:

  • Philip Freer the patrolmanwho is always on hand to help a customer, and to play tour guide;
  • Shay Cullen, the GPO branch manager who is on a mission to get the GPO to the top of the league table of all post offices;
  • Noel Carroll, superintendent in the GPO, with a great fondness for playing the fiddle and bringing music into the GPO at every opportunity;
  • Sue Gannon , cleaner extraordinaire,who takes pride in every shining surface;
  • Stephen Ferguson, the custodian of archives and all things historical;
  • Wayne Smith, customer services representative– but with a passion for photography. On his lunchbreak, Wayne goes outside to document the builders who are making history as they build the new visitor centre in the courtyard of the GPO.
  • Matt the butlerwho never misses a chance to come into the GPO;
  • Regina Philip, originally from Tanzania, who comes to the GPO to send care packages to her 14-year-old daughter, who has lived in a hostel in France since she was six, without any relative nearby. Regina hopes that her daughter will, one day, be able to join her in Ireland, but there are no guarantees. In the meantime, Regina can only send parcels ‘with her love’.

 

The series offers a glimpse inside the busiest post office in Ireland, in their most historic year since 1916!

 

Episode 1, RTÉ One, March 15th at 7pm

We meet best friends, cleaner Sue Gannon and Patrolman, Philip Freer, who started in the GPO on the same day back in 1997.  Back in those days, Philip, who hails from Finglas, and Sue from Summerhill used to hang out together in Dublin of the early 90s.

But, they were about to see a whole lot more of each other – both getting jobs as cleaners in the GPO. Sue now is a team leader in the cleaning dept while Philip moved on to become a patrolman.

In this episode, the pair give us a snapshot of the GPO after the doors close. Sue Gannon, introduces us to the GPO – and all that is involved in keeping it spic and span and ready for the public, while Phil is on night duty – keeping all the ghosts in check!

Shay Cullen, branch manager, is on a mission – to get the GPO into pole position in the An Post league tables. Just two years ago it was at the bottom of the table – it’s a tall order to hit top spot.

Meanwhile, curator of all things historical and cultural in the GPO, Stephen Ferguson, gives viewers a sneak peak at the GPO’s own copy of the Proclamation – complete with the signature of the man that found it after the Easter Rising.