Wicklow, County Wicklow - May 2000
Captain Robert Halpin Memorial Fitzwilliam Square.
Freestanding carved and cut granite obelisk, erected 1897, having square-profile plinth and base, set on two steps. Incised lettering on four faces. Set in landscaped area enclosed by decorative railings on rendered plinth wall.
Erected as a memorial to Captain Robert Halpin (1836-1894), Master Mariner, who was responsible for laying over 23,000 miles of marine cabling in the nineteenth century, making a major contribution to global communications. It forms part of a group of structures in Wicklow town, including the Bridge Inn, the Church of Ireland graveyard, and the hostel, with a connection to Halpin. Designed by the County Surveyor, Carter Draper, carved by Robinson & Sons of Belfast, it is a notable landmark in the town.
