Guglielmo Marconi was born in Bologna, Italy in his
family's town house in 1874.  His mother Annie was Irish, and as a child he travelled around a great deal with her, whilst his father Guiseppe stayed in Ville Grifone - their country seat.
      At 10.48am on 21st May 1901, the first ever ship to shore radio message from the Atlantic was picked by by a tiny post, set up by Marconi, at 66 Queen's Park, Holyhead.  It happened when an attempt was made to make a test radio transmission from a ship to Crookhaven in southern Ireland.  Instead, contact was made with the Marconi post in Holyhead, using a Marconi Wireless Telegraph and a 400ft mast to receive and send transmissions from the ship to shore. The passenger boat the SS Lake Chaplain travelling from Liverpool to Halifax in Nova Scotia picked up the Morse signal.  Mr. David Sean Davies was the telegraphist responsible for sending the message from the house at Queen's Park.  Mr. Davies was contracted to work 24 hours a day, seven days a week!  This got him into trouble with his minister because he could not attend Church services each Sunday.  When Mr. Davies explained his absence, the reply he had from the Minster was "Only God with all his wisdom can speak unto man and not be seen.  No good will come of the gadgetry!"
    It is believed that Marconi was on Anglesey sometime at the turn of the century.  It is known that he was trying to buy land at Nebo near Pensarn, and may have even paid a visit to Holyhead during this time.
    His daughter, Princess Elettra Marconi unveiled a plaque to the memory of her father in Ireland  at the Co. Wicklow Radio Club's special radio event and exhibition  continued.....