Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Architect, of Dublin, Athy, Co. Kildare, and Portlaoise, Co. Laois. Thomas Carberry, who appears to have been a member of a well-known family of builders of Athy and Carlow, studied architecture at University College, Dublin, obtaining the B.Arch degree in 1929.(1) While he was a student he won the Institute Prize of the AAI for the session 1925-26 with his design for 'A Small Municipal Museum',(2) and his entry for the same prize for the session 1927-28 ('A local war memorial..to take the form of a cloistered atrium and a small chapel') was reproduced in the Irish Builder.(2) After graduating, Carberry appears to have had rather an unsettled career which may be partially reconstructed from the membership lists of the AAI. He first spent some time in Athy and then, in 1932 or 1933, returned to Dublin where he briefly joined the staff of the Corporation housing architect's department. He appears to have spent equally brief periods in the offices of VINCENT KELLY  VINCENT KELLY at 87 Merrion Square and ROBINSON & KEEFE  ROBINSON & KEEFE at 8 Merrion Square before returning to Athy, where he remained until 1945 or 1946. Eventually he joined the staff of the Office of Public Works, with a posting in Portlaoise, which he held at least until the early 1950s. No address for him is given in the list of members for 1953-54, and his name disappears from the list the following year.

AAI: elected member, 1926; no longer on list of members for session 1954-55.

Addresses: Work: Dublin Corporation Housing Architects' Department, Dublin, 1933; 87 Merrion Square, 1934; 8 Merrion Square, 1935; 51 Baggot Street Lower, Dublin, 1943; Office of Public Works, 1945; Office of Public Works, Portlaoise, Co. Laois, 1946-1951.
Home: 5 Leinster Road, Rathmines, 1926-1928; St John's, Athy, 1929-1946.



References



(1) University College Dublin Register of Graduates (1946), 19.
(2) AAI Green Book (1927), 36.
(3) IB 69, 3 Sep 1927, supplement; the caption states wrongly that Carberry's design won the first prize (see AAI Green Book (1929), 49).