Politics

An Post gives cold shoulder to Sinn Féin 2016 GPO spectacular

Party proposal for light show considered overtly political in run-up to anniversary

The show was to take place from April 24th-29th, the anniversary dates of the Rising. Photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times
The show was to take place from April 24th-29th, the anniversary dates of the Rising. Photograph: Cyril Byrne/The Irish Times
Fiach Kelly
Thu Oct 08 2015 - 09:56

plans for a visual spectacular, The Rising Son et Lumière 2016, intended to be staged nightly at the GPO in Dublin for a week next April, are set to be rejected by An Post for being overtly political.

The show was to take place from April 24th-29th, the anniversary dates of the Rising.

The event, which was intended to show the GPO come under shell fire and catch fire as well as depicting the 1916 rebels’ “last stand”, was also to be broadcast online to a worldwide audience. The GPO was to be used as a backdrop for “3D video-mapping projection”.

While a final decision has yet to be made, sources said An Post was likely to reject the proposal because of its political connections to Sinn Féin.

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Sinn Féin’s 1916 commemorations have been criticised by other political parties, who say they are an attempt to overshadow the State programme.

The party’s national coordinator for centenaries commemorations Bartle D’Arcy defended the GPO plans. “When we did our original application to An Post in February it very specifically indicated that this is a broad approach. It will not feature any party political endorsement,” he told Newstalk radio.

Republic Day

The Government this week rejected a proposal from the party to have an additional bank holiday, Republic Day, on Easter weekend next year.

The “son et lumiere” (sound and light) event, along with plans to book the Ambassador Theatre in Dublin city centre for an exhibition that will run for a number of months next year, has been a key element of Sinn Féin’s 2016 programme.

A spokesman for An Post said the company had a policy for light displays on the GPO.

“Owing to the GPO’s key location in the city centre and its historical importance, the company may receive requests for light displays to be projected on to the building,” he said.

However, its policy excluded displays “involving political messages or events organised by political parties” or “events designed for the commercial gain of external organisations”.

As a result, Government sources said they expected An Post to reject the proposal.

Sinn Féin’s 1916 events organiser Bartle D’Arcy had described the GPO show as one of the party’s “signature” commemoration events.