Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

County surveyor for Cos. Tyrone and Wexford. James Barry Farrell was born in Bristol on 3 December 1810. After serving his pupilage with the civil engineer Joseph Burke, he was employed by the Board of Public Works in Ireland from 1833 until 1838 as resident engineer on the construction of the road between Killarney and Kenmare. In March 1839 he was appointed county surveyor for Co.Tyrone, but in August 1840, after little more than a year, he was transferred to the county surveyorship of Co. Wexford, in which post he remained for over fifty years. In 1862 he was also appointed Engineer to the Admiralty Commissioners for Wexford Harbour, for whom he carried out several works under the direction of Sir JOHN COODE JOHN COODE . He also reported for the Admiralty on various other harbour projects in Ireland.

Farrell, who is decribed as generous and kind-hearted, retired from the Co. Wexford surveyorship in 1891 on a pension of £400 per annum.(1) He died on 3 January 1893 and was buried in the Franciscan Cemetery, Wexford.(2) He was the father of MARTIN JOHN FARRELL MARTIN JOHN FARRELL , who became his partner in 1872.

Inst.CE: elected member, 24 May 1870.
ICEI: elected member, 1836;(2) council member, 1860-61;(3) elected honorary member, 7 December 1892.(4)
RIAI: Did Farrell apply for membership? Jones transcript from RIAI council meeting minutes, 8 May 1863, 6, reads: 'The case of S.U. Roberts, C. Tarrant, and J.B. Farrell [all county surveyors] was postponed for general meeting to be held on 21st instant'.
RSAI: elected member, 1868; elected fellow, 1870.

Addresses:(5) Strandfield, Wexford, 1858-1876; Glendarra, Wexford, 1887-1889; Glenaville Terrace, Wexford, at time of death.

See WORKS.



References

All information in this entry not otherwise accounted for is from the obituary of Farrell in Min. Proc. ICE 113 (1892-3), 344-5.

(1) IB 33, 1 Aug 1891, 179.
(2) Wexford Independent, 7 Jan 1893 (refence from Brenda O'Donoghue).
(3) IB 12, 15 Aug 1870, 197.
(4) Jones, citing ?Thom's Directories.
(5) TICEI 22 (1892), ?.
(6) JRSAI 19 (1889), list of members.
(7) Jones, citing ?JRSAI lists of members.(These references are not at all clear.)


10 work entries listed in chronological order for FARRELL, JAMES BARRY


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Building: CO. KERRY, KENMARE, BRIDGE (OLD)
Date: 1840-41
Nature: 'Mr Barry' designed central tower (identified by Brendan O'Donoghue as JBF).
Refs: www.kenmare.com/history

Building: CO. WEXFORD, CARRIGMANON, BRIDGE
Date: 1844
Nature: New bridge. Builder: Thomas Willis.
Refs: Plaque on bridge (information from Brendan O'Donoghue)

Building: CO. WEXFORD, COOLADINE, BRIDGE
Date: 1844
Nature: New single-arch bridge.
Refs: Information from Brendan O'Donoghue

Building: CO. WEXFORD, WEXFORD, BRIDGE OVER RIVER SLANEY (NEW BRIDGE)
Date: 1851ca
Nature: Iron drawbridge.
Refs: Min. Proc. ICE 113 (1892-3), 345; J.B. Farrell, 'On the design and detaisl of construction for a proposed new bridge of the estuary of the Slaney at Wexford', TICEI 4 (1851), 1-7

Building: CO. WEXFORD, FERRYCARRIG, CRIMEA MONUMENT
Date: 1857
Nature: Design attributed to JBF in Irish Times, but cf. Edwin Thomas Willis.
Refs: Irish Times, 13 Jul 1989 (reference supplied by Brendan O'Donoghue, 2015).

Building: CO. WEXFORD, WEXFORD, HARBOUR
Date: 1862
Nature: Improvements.
Refs: DB 3, 15 May 1862, 124; Min. Proc. ICE 113 (1892-3), 345

Building: CO. WEXFORD, WEXFORD, COMMERCIAL QUAY, COUNTY COURT HOUSE
Date: 1862
Nature: Improvements and enlargement. (Does this include remodelling of central block with tetrastyle portico in antis. balustrade, &c.?)
Refs: DB 3, 1 Jul 1862, 172

Building: CO. WEXFORD, ENNISCORTHY, DISTRICT LUNATIC ASYLUM
Date: 1863-66
Nature: With James Bell. Clerk of Works: Bergin. Cost: £40,000. Alts., Sep. 1866.
Refs: B 24, 6 Jan 1866, 6; DB 5, 15 Jul 1863, 122; 8, 15 Jan,1 Sep 1866, 20,218

Building: CO. WEXFORD, NEW ROSS, MOUNTGARRET BRIDGE
Date: 1867-69
Nature: Free lattice girder bridge between New Ross & Rosbercon, replacing old wooden bridge which was partly destroyed in Jan 1867. Designed with S.U. Roberts & Peter Burtchaell. Contractor: Kinnaird Bros., Leeds? Opened to traffic, Aug 1869. Cost: £50,419.
Refs: Henry Nathan Maynard, 'The New Ross Bridge', Min. Proc. ICE 32 (1870-71), 146-151 (abstract in IB 13, 15 Apr 1871, 101); Min.Proc.Inst.CE 113 (1892-3), 345; B 25, 8 Jun,31 Aug 1867, 407,648; IB 9, 15 Nov 1867, 304; 10, 1 Apr,15 Sep 1868, 89,231; 38th Report of Board of Public Works, Ireland (1869), 16

Building: CO. WEXFORD, ROSSLARE, HARBOUR
Date: 1877
Nature: Works at.
Refs: IB 19, 15 Jan 1877, 29

Author Title Date Details
Farrell, James Barry 'On the design and details of construction for a proposed new bridge over the estuary of the Slaney at Wexford' 1851 TICEI 4 (1851), 1-7.
Farrell, James Barry 'Water supply of Wexford' 1863 DB 5, 1 Nov 1863, 177. (Letter to editor.)
Farrell, James Barry 'Wexford Waterworks' 1864 DB 5, 1 Sep 1864, 169-70 (Report; editorial comment on p. 167)