The "moby" phone generation may not quite appreciate him, and may barely know his name. However, the Italian who chose a Connemara bog to transmit the first commercial wireless message between two continents a century ago is being celebrated in Clifden this weekend.
"A defining event in world communication" is how the organisers have billed the 100th anniversary of Guglielmo Marconi's successful transmission from Derrygimla bog, outside Clifden. The date was October 17th, 1907, and his transatlantic message from Lord Avebury to the New York Times was picked up at his North American base in Glace Bay, Newfoundland.
The Italian's daughter, Princess Elettra Marconi, along with her son, Prince Guglielmo, are presiding over the celebrations which began in Clifden last night. A number of Italian, Canadian and Irish movers and shakers in telecommunications have also been invited.
Events will include a live link-up on the Marconi site at Derrygimla by Connemara Community Radio with Glace Bay in Newfoundland.
"I feel at home here, I have been so many times, and I am so glad my father picked a beautiful fascinating coastline to build his radio station," Princess Elettra told The Irish Times yesterday.
Princess Elettra has written a book, Marconi - My Beloved, which will be published in Clifden during the festivities.
Other events will include guided walks of the Marconi station by archaeologist Michael Gibbons, an "international royal gala ball", and an operatic concert with the 2007 Maria Callas Grand Prix winner, Celine Byrne.
Derrygimla was also location for the crash landing of the first transatlantic flight by Capt John Alcock and Lieut Arthur Whitton Brown on June 15th, 1919.
