Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Builder and architect, originally of Galway? BRYAN BOLGER  BRYAN BOLGER measured work by John Behan at the city and county gaols at Galway between 1808 and 1810, and work by Behan and DANIEL GAVEN  DANIEL GAVEN at RICHARD MORRISON' RICHARD MORRISON' s Galway county court house in 1815.(1) In 1810 Richard Morrison and John Behan wrote to B.T. Balfour about Dundalk Court house.(2) In 1814 Behan and Gaven's plans for Roscommon gaol were passed over in favour of plans by Richard Morrison,(3), but in the same year John Behan's plans for Monaghan gaol were recommended by FRANCIS JOHNSTON. FRANCIS JOHNSTON. (4) Behan appears to have acted as architect and builder of Monaghan gaol between 1815 and 1820, when he was dismissed.(5) In 1815 he acted as contractor for Enniskillen gaol, which was also designed by Richard Morrison.(6)

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References



(1) NA/PRO, Bolger MSS 1A/58/124,128,129; in 1A/58/128 Bolger also records measuring various repairs ordered by 'Mr Architect Behan', viz. to Barracks and Provost's Prison and Riding House at Ballinrobe, 1812, and to prisons? at Oughterard, Belturbet and Tullamore, 1814 (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc. 2008/44).
(2) NLI MS. 10,281 and PRONI D562/12766 (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc. 2008/44).
(3) NA/SPO 558/423/32 (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc. 2008/44).
(4) NA/SPO 558/423/31 (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc. 2008/44)
(5) NA CSO/RP/1821/527 (formerly CSORP 1821/547).
(6) NA/SPO 564/468/5 (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc. 2008/44).


8 work entries listed in chronological order for BEHAN, JOHN [2]


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Building: CO. GALWAY, GALWAY, GAOL ROAD, COUNTY GAOL
Date: 1808-1809
Nature: JB contractor for same, including chapel.
Refs: NA/PRO Bolger MS. 1A/58/128

Building: CO. GALWAY, GALWAY, GAOL ROAD, TOWN GAOL
Date: 1809-09
Nature: Masonry work & sundries.
Refs: Notebooks of Bryan Bolger, NA PRO 1A/58/128 (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc.2008/44)

Building: CO. LOUTH, DUNDALK, MARKET SQUARE, COUNTY COURT HOUSE
Date: 1810
Nature: JB and Richard Morrison write to B.T. Balfour about same and submit tender.
Refs: NLI MS 10,281 (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc.2008/44);  PRONI D562/12766 (IAA, Edward McParland files, Acc.2008/44)

Building: CO. ROSCOMMON, ROSCOMMON, COUNTY GAOL
Date: 1814
Nature: Designs rejected in favour of Richard Morrison's
Refs: NA/SPO 558/423/32

Building: CO. MONAGHAN, MONAGHAN, COUNTY GAOL
Date: 1814-1820
Nature: Designs approved; acted as architect until dismissed in 1820
Refs: NA/SPO 558/423/31; NA/SPO CSORP 1821/547 (old refs. fromEdward McParland files, IAA Acc.2008/44); NA CSO/RP/1822/22.

Building: CO. GALWAY, GALWAY, COURTHOUSE SQUARE, COUNTY COURT HOUSE
Date: 1815a
Nature: Acted as contractor with Daniel Gaven.
Refs: NA/PRO Bolger MS. 1A.58.124,128

Building: CO. FERMANAGH, ENNISKILLEN, GAOL SQUARE, COUNTY GAOL
Date: 1816
Nature: Acted as contractor
Refs: NA/SPO 564/468/5

Building: CO. GALWAY, GALWAY, SALMON WEIR BRIDGE
Date: 1818-19
Nature: 'a very beautiful new bridge...lately erected by presentment, which does infinite credit to the taste of Mr Behan the architect' (Dutton). (Behan may have been contractor rather than architect.0).
Refs: Hely Dutton, A Statistical and agricultural survey of the county of Galway  (1824), ? (Section 11).; R.C. Cox & M.H. Gould, Civil Engineering Heritage: Ireland (1998), 223-224(illus.)