Post boxes in Dublin are causing a stir: they've been swapped from their usual emerald green to a shade of shocking red.

But before you assume that the British are taking over – it's now been confirmed that the colour change is to mark the forthcoming 1916 Rising centenary. 

An Post made the changes under the cover of darkness last night, with Dublin commuters being greeted by the transformation this morning.

It's all part of the plan to bring us all "closer to the streets of 1916 Dublin". 

"At various locations across Dublin, painted red post boxes become beacons for the events they witnessed a hundred years ago," An Post has revealed. 

Red post boxes can currently be seen on Grafton Street, at the Royal College Of Surgeons, Mount Street, Dun Laoghaire, and Liberty Hall.

Four more will emerge next weekend, with the final one cropping up at the end of April.

All of them represent a fascinating "lesser known" story of the Rising – like the one of the 12-year-old boy shot stealing an orange on Grafton Street – the details of which are available on 1916.anpost.ie. 

Twitter was predictably bemused in response, with many users praising the decision. Others, however, were less impressed, likening the move to vandalism.