William Farrell (architect)
Encyclopedia
William Farrell, RIAI, was a prominent Dublin-based Irish architect active throughout early to mid-nineteenth-century Ireland
, during the Georgian and early Victorian period, known particularly for his church and institutional designs.
, Farrell was a Board of First Fruits
architect for the Church of Ireland
ecclesiastical Province of Armagh from 1823 to 1843 and as such designed a number of Church of Ireland churches for the Board of First Fruits and its successor (from 1839) the Board of Ecclesiastical Commissioners
.
He was "a freeman of the City of Dublin as a member of the Guild of Carpenters at Michaelmas in 1816." He was president of the Aged and Infirm Carpenters' Asylum in 1842. He was a council member for the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland
from 1842 to 1849, and vice president from 1849 until his death.
Differing views of his designs and success of his practice were raised. Farrell “was one of several architects to be attacked in the satirical poem, ‘An Essay on the Rise and Progress of Architectural Taste in Dublin…by Nicolson Numskull, Esq.’ which was published in 1832: ‘With rosy gills - round as a little barrel, A first fruits architect - see Billy F-rr-ll, Who thrives and fattens on anothers brains, He toils and labours - Billy counts the gains.’”
His sons joined his practice around 1833 or 1834 and his practice's name was changed in 1839 to "William Farrell & Son." Only one son remained in partnership and continued the practice after Farrell's death at the end of 1851, Francis James Farrell. Arthur Thomas Farrell, another son, attended Trinity College, Dublin
in 1830.
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
, during the Georgian and early Victorian period, known particularly for his church and institutional designs.
Career
Succeeding John BowdenJohn Bowden
John Bowden was an Irish architect and member of the Board of First Fruits of the Church of Ireland from 1813 to 1821. He was born in Dublin and died in 1822....
, Farrell was a Board of First Fruits
Board of First Fruits
The Board of First Fruits was an institution of the Church of Ireland that was established in 1711 by Anne, Queen of Great Britain in order to build and improve churches and glebe houses in Ireland. This was funded from taxes collected on clerical incomes which were in turn funded by tithes...
architect for the Church of Ireland
Church of Ireland
The Church of Ireland is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion. The church operates in all parts of Ireland and is the second largest religious body on the island after the Roman Catholic Church...
ecclesiastical Province of Armagh from 1823 to 1843 and as such designed a number of Church of Ireland churches for the Board of First Fruits and its successor (from 1839) the Board of Ecclesiastical Commissioners
Board of Ecclesiastical Commissioners
The Board of Ecclesiastical Commissioners was established in 1833 to supersede the Board of First Fruits. It was created to overcome criticisms against the established church by enforcing a reform of the church. Ten dioceses were dissolved by joining them with neighboring dioceses and their...
.
He was "a freeman of the City of Dublin as a member of the Guild of Carpenters at Michaelmas in 1816." He was president of the Aged and Infirm Carpenters' Asylum in 1842. He was a council member for the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland
Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland
The Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland founded in 1839, is the competent authority for architects and professional body for Architecture in the Republic of Ireland....
from 1842 to 1849, and vice president from 1849 until his death.
Differing views of his designs and success of his practice were raised. Farrell “was one of several architects to be attacked in the satirical poem, ‘An Essay on the Rise and Progress of Architectural Taste in Dublin…by Nicolson Numskull, Esq.’ which was published in 1832: ‘With rosy gills - round as a little barrel, A first fruits architect - see Billy F-rr-ll, Who thrives and fattens on anothers brains, He toils and labours - Billy counts the gains.’”
His sons joined his practice around 1833 or 1834 and his practice's name was changed in 1839 to "William Farrell & Son." Only one son remained in partnership and continued the practice after Farrell's death at the end of 1851, Francis James Farrell. Arthur Thomas Farrell, another son, attended Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin
Trinity College, Dublin , formally known as the College of the Holy and Undivided Trinity of Queen Elizabeth near Dublin, was founded in 1592 by letters patent from Queen Elizabeth I as the "mother of a university", Extracts from Letters Patent of Elizabeth I, 1592: "...we...found and...
in 1830.
Influence on other architects
A number of prominent Irish architects received their early training in his offices. In the 1830s, it is thought that James Joseph McCarthy (1817 – 1882), architect of among other works the Roman Catholic St. Macartan’s Cathedral, Monaghan (1861 – 1892), apprenticed at Farrell’s office. Other apprentices included Sinclair Bates in 1809, John Louch in 1813, Parke Neville, and Sandham Symes.Works
- St Patrick's Church of Ireland Church, Monaghan, (1836)
- Tyrone and Fermanagh Hosptial, OmaghOmaghOmagh is the county town of County Tyrone, Northern Ireland. It is situated where the rivers Drumragh and Camowen meet to form the Strule. The town, which is the largest in the county, had a population of 19,910 at the 2001 Census. Omagh also contains the headquarters of Omagh District Council and...
, County Tyrone.