Sunday 1 November 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 7197Public order incident · Co. Dublin · 2 Nov 2023

Man charged over public order incident at GPO, O'Connell Street

On the afternoon of Thursday 2 November 2023, a man in his 50s armed with a knife entered the General Post Office on O'Connell Street, Dublin 1, and was tackled by onlookers before being disarmed by gardaí. No one was injured in the incident, and the GPO public office was closed for the rest of the day. The man was arrested and detained at a city centre Garda station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. He has since been charged and is due to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice on Friday 3 November 2023.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrested2 Nov
    2 reports
  3. Charged2 Nov
  4. In court
  5. Verdict
  6. Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
A man armed with a knife entered the GPO and was tackled by onlookers before being disarmed by gardaí.
Where
The incident occurred at the General Post Office on O'Connell Street, Dublin 1.
When
The incident took place on the afternoon of Thursday 2 November 2023.
Weapon
The man was reportedly carrying a knife.
Investigation
A male in his 50s was arrested and detained at a city centre Garda station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.
Charges
The arrested man has been charged.
In court
He is due to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice (CCJ Court No. 1) on Friday 3 November 2023.
Other details
  • No one was injured in the incident.
  • The GPO public office was closed for the rest of the day and reopened the next morning at 8.30am.
  • A video reportedly shows the man being tackled by onlookers, two of whom are heard saying 'Let it go'.
20 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatA video reportedly shows a man with a knife being tackled by onlookers in the post office. (gript.ie)
  • whatA man armed with a knife entered the GPO and the building was shut. (dublinlive.ie)
  • whereThe incident occurred at a business premises on O'Connell Street, Dublin 1. (garda.ie)
  • whereThe incident took place at the GPO on O'Connell Street, Dublin 1. (gript.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • whenThe incident occurred on Thursday 2 November 2023. (garda.ie)
  • whenThe incident took place on the afternoon of Thursday 2 November 2023. (gript.ie)
  • whenThe incident occurred on the afternoon of Thursday, 2 November 2023. (dublinlive.ie)
  • weaponThe man was reportedly carrying a knife. (gript.ie)
  • weaponThe man was armed with a knife. (dublinlive.ie)
  • investigationA male was arrested in connection with the public order incident. (garda.ie)
  • investigationGardaí said a male in his 50s had been arrested following the public order incident. (gript.ie)
  • investigationInvestigations are ongoing. (gript.ie, dublinlive.ie)
  • investigationThe arrested man is detained at a city centre Garda Station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. (dublinlive.ie)
  • chargeThe arrested man has been charged. (garda.ie)
  • courtHe is due to appear before the Criminal Courts of Justice (CCJ Court No. 1) on the morning of Friday 3 November 2023. (garda.ie)
  • otherTwo of those who tackled the man are heard saying 'Let it go', apparently about the weapon seen in the video. (gript.ie)
  • otherThe man is detained at a city centre Garda station under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984. (gript.ie)
  • otherThe man was disarmed by gardaí. (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherNo one was injured in the incident. (dublinlive.ie)
  • otherThe GPO public office was closed for the rest of the day and was due to reopen the next morning at 8.30am. (dublinlive.ie)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 2 Nov2023
    Arresteddublinlive.ie, first report
    Man armed with knife causes shutdown of Dublin's GPO

    Original report of the arrest of a man in his 50s who entered the GPO armed with a knife and was disarmed by gardaí.

    suspect, 50s, male
  2. 2 Nov2023
    Arrestedgript.ie, follow-up
    WATCH: Man brandishes knife in GPO, onlookers intervene - Gript

    First report of the incident. Adds the video, the onlookers' intervention, the arrest and the detention under Section 4 of the Criminal Justice Act, 1984.

    suspect, 50s, male
  3. 2 Nov2023
    Chargedgarda.ie, follow-up
    Court Appearance - Public Order Incident, O'Connell Street, Dublin 1, 2nd November 2023

    Gardaí confirm the man arrested over the O'Connell Street public order incident has been charged and is due before the Criminal Courts of Justice (CCJ Court No. 1) on 3 November 2023. The release does not mention a knife, so it does not confirm the armed-man details in the existing case, but the place, date and man in his 50s match.

    accused, 50s, male