Dargan

Dargan, WILLIAM, railway projector, was born at Carlow, 28th February 1799, spent some time in a surveyor's office, and for a time was employed under Telford. He was a successful contractor, and became one of the first capitalists in Ireland. It was he who in 1831 contracted for the first railway ever executed in Ireland (the Dublin and Kingstown), and he was afterwards connected with most great Irish undertakings, such as the making of railways, canals, tunnels, and embankments. He was also an extensive holder of railway stock, a steamboat proprietor, flax-grower, farmer, and the main promoter of the Dublin exhibition of 1853, when he declined a baronetcy. He died 7th February 1867.