 The Obelisk by Artist Tom Roche Whether you choose to view the surrounding county from the base of the obelisk or take a leisurely stroll through the trees, it's a haven of peace where it's easy to forget the pace of life in modern Dublin. F. E. Ball, one of the great writers on Dublin, wrote: - 'On reaching the Obelisk, we obtain what is probably the finest coast view in the county. Two marble slabs on the side facing the sea bear the inscriptions: - "Last year being hard. with the Poor, the Walls about these Hills and This [Obelisk] erected by John Mapas, Esq, June, 1742." "Repaired by Robert Warren, Esq., MDCCCXL.'" William Bulfin, however, was not impressed: "A monument stands there which is an architectural monstrosity and a vainglorious abomination. ... The model chosen by the designer seems to have been the sawed-off stump of a candlestick surmounted by an extinguisher. Its ugliness is outlandish." |