John Joseph O'Callaghan

John Joseph O'Callaghan
Born1838
Died2 November 1905(1905-00-00) (aged 66–67)
Occupationarchitect

John Joseph O'Callaghan (1838 – 2 November 1905) was an Irish architect who designed buildings in both England and Ireland.

Life

O'Callaghan was born in Blackrock, Cork around 1838.[1] After training in Cork under John Benson, the county surveyor, he came to Dublin to join the practice of Thomas Newenham Deane and Benjamin Woodward.[2] In 1856 he was sent as clerk of works to Oxford where he had the opportunity of studying mediaeval architecture. He became an advocate of the Gothic style,[3] using elements such as polychrome brickwork, turrets, finials, ornate arches.[2] He remained with Deane and Woodford until he set up his own business in Merrion Row in Dublin in 1871.[4]

As a founding member,[1] he was elected first president of the Architectural Association of Ireland in 1872.[4] Later in life his work was described as "old-fashioned", in one obituary declared he was "unquestionably one of the foremost Irish architects of modern times."[2][3]

O'Callaghan died on 2 November 1905. With his wife, Eva, he had 2 daughters and 6 sons. Two son, Lucius and Bernard, were architects,[2] and Frank was a civil engineer.[1]

Select works

Dolphin House

References

  1. 1 2 3 "O'CALLAGHAN, JOHN JOSEPH". Dictionary of Irish Architects. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Beaumont, Daniel (2009). "O'Callaghan, John Joseph". Dictionary of Irish Biography. Retrieved 31 March 2026.
  3. 1 2 "Obituary of J. J. O'Callaghan". The Irish Builder. 47: 918. December 1905.
  4. 1 2 J. J. O'Callaghan (November 1873). "Presidential Address by J. J. O'Callaghan". The Irish Builder. XV (334): 308.