Michael Clifford gets to the bottom of the post office closure crisis in rural Ireland and meets the faces behind the local service.

The rural post office remains integral to society despite its unviability, writes Michael Clifford.

Just a month ago postmasters protested at Dublin’s GPO to try to stop the closure of rural post offices which, they say, will “devastate rural Ireland”.

The Irish Postmasters' Union will launch a six-point plan this morning to save post offices across the country.