The monument was erected some years ago to a Gentleman called Richard Dawson a former MP for the area. Below the photo's I have copied an article regarding the structure - interesting!
The 1790s in Ireland was a turbulent decade which culminated in the unsuccessful Irish rebellion of 1798. It made the 72 year old Thomas Dawson, who had done so much to develop Dartrey and had replaced the old family home by a new brick mansion in 1780, decide to hand over his parliamentary seat to his nephew and heir, the 34 year old Richard Dawson, and retire to London.
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Thomas, a longstanding Unionist politician of consumate skill and reputation, was later shocked to discover that his young nephew voted with ‘the rebels’ in support of Catholic emancipation and against the Act of Union. But Richard’s career in parliament was to last only ten years. He died aged 44 in 1807, and so ‘popular’ an MP had he become that his supporters erected this monument on the Dartrey estate in his memory.
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Designed by James Wyatt (the Dawson temple architect), it is “a classical style column built of ashlar limestone, a fine piece of masonry work”. The 200 year old column has recently been restore
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HMA
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