New follies?

When I first moved to Ireland I used to find it amusing (charming, what have you) that there were these "follies" scattered around the country. I lived near a huge one in Maynooth, Co. Kildare (visible from the M4) for a while.

However, I never imagined that I would see the day that new follies would be erected. Yet, there are two structures (erections? - I'm reminded of a man I met who referred to the archer on the sea front in Dun Laoghaire as "Willie Harvey's Erection". Although I'm not really sure who Willie Harvey was, I believe he was a local councillor.) in Killiney/Ballybrack that seem to fit that bill.

One is a brand new, miniature pillar that I thought was going to be a monument to something, but which has no description, etc. The other is a pair of huge concrete blocks near the intersection of Shanganagh Road, Ballybrack Road and Killiney Hill Road. These blocks look like refuse from a big building project. I had thought they were just cast-offs until the day I saw a large construction vehicle come along and realign them, for whatever reason.

I'd love to know the story behind these two bits of "art(?)". Any locals I've asked have been as baffled as I am.