Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Builder and architect. Thomas Covey was employed by the Barrack Board on military buildings throughout Ireland from 1752 or earlier until at least 1760.(1) He probably came from England, as he was initially described by THOMAS EYRE THOMAS EYRE , the Surveyor General, as 'a stranger to work in this kingdom'. Eyre valued him highly as 'one in whose diligence, knowledge of work, and honesty you might confide', and he is referred to as 'a most ingenious and experienced architect' by John Rutty in his Essay towards a Natural History of the Co. Dublin (1772), Vol. 2, p.1172.(2) In 1770 he published A scheme for building a bridge over the river Suire at the city of Waterford, in which he proposed building a stone bridge at the upper end of the New Quay, a project which he estimated would cost £36,745. His plans were not pursued.

The Henry Covey who was paid for work on the Lombard Street barrack in Galway in March 1754(3) may have been related.



References



(1) IAA, MS. letter and account books of Thomas Eyre (Acc. 86/149), I, 18,22,26,105,111(A); II, 2, 7, 8, 24, 43, 50, 96, 99, 103, 105, 107, 111, 113, 118, 122, 123, 124, 125, 128.
(2) C.P. Curran's notebooks (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc. 2008/44).
(3) For a summary and excerpts see Edmund Downey, Waterford's Bridges (Waterford, n.d.), unpaginated.
(3) MS. letter and account books of Thomas Eyre in IAA (Acc. 86/149), II, 99,103.


1 work entries listed in chronological order for COVEY, THOMAS


Sort by date | Sort alphabetically


Building: CO. WATERFORD, WATERFORD, BRIDGE OVER RIVER SUIR
Date: 1770
Nature: Proposed design for 9-arch masonry bridge. Not executed.
Refs: Thomas Covey, A scheme for building a bridge over the river Swire at the city of Waterford(Waterford: Esther Crawley & Son, 1770);  William Tighe, Statistical Observations relative to the County of Kilkenny (1802), 565.

Author Title Date Details
Covey, Thomas A scheme for building a bridge over the river Suire at the city of Waterford 1770 Waterford: Esther Crawley & Son, 1770.