Green’s Dictionary of Slang

(Irish) a worthless, unimportant person.

1966

P. Boyle At Night All Cats Are Grey 92: I’m not holding this against you, chum. I know you’re only the ha’penny boy around here.

(Irish) a worthless, unimportant place, position or status.

1981		M. Keane Good Behaviour 60: Papa’s half-amused, half-flattered retreat from the teasing seemed to me to put Mrs. Brock in the same halfpenny place as Mummie’s French did .
1994		(con. 1960s) G. Byrne Pictures in my Head 33: I was really only in the ha’penny place when it came to that.