Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Engineer and architect, of Waterford. William Friel, son of Richard James Friel and his wife Alice Mary Hayes, was born in Warrenpoint, Co. Down, on 3 November 1873.(1)  He was educated at the Diocesan School, Waterford, and served a pupilage of five years to JAMES OTWAY JAMES OTWAY , engineer to the Waterford, Dungarvan and Lismore Railway, to the Fermoy and Lismore Railway and to the Port and Harbour of Waterford. He was subsequently employed as an engineering assistant on Otway's staff and was engaged in making drawings for the proposed Waterford and Rosslare Railway, the Cork and Fermoy Railway, and in schemes for the improvement of Waterford Harbour. When Otway retired from the post of Waterford Harbour Engineer in September 1898, Friel was appointed in his place the following month. He retained the post until 1956 or later.(2) He also had a private practice and was associated with JAMES H. FLANAGAN  JAMES H. FLANAGAN on works at the County and City Infirmary, Waterford. He was district architect for the united dioceses of Ossory, Ferns, and Leighlin in 1927,(3) and held the post until 1940 or later.(4) He died on 8 March 1970 at the age of ninety-six.

Inst.CE: elected associate member 2 Dec 1902, proposed by James Otway; still a member at time of death.
ICEI: elected member 1 May 1912;(5) awarded Mullins Silver Medal, 1932, for paper, 'Improvements at Waterford Harbour', read 2 February 1931.(6)
RIAI: elected member, 1914; resigned, 1955.(7)

Addresses:(8) Work: 4 King St, Waterford, 1900; Chamber of Commerce Buildings, Waterford, <=1903-1917, 1929-<=1954; Harbour Engineer's Office, Waterford, 1919-1928; Chamber of Commerce Buildings, Waterford, 1940.(9)
Home: 26 Newtown Road, Waterford, 1911; Belgrave, Newtown, Waterford, <=1912->=1965.

See WORKS, and BIBLIOGRAPHY. BIBLIOGRAPHY.



References

All information in this entry not otherwise accounted for is from the records of the Institution of Civil Engineers, London, kindly supplied by Mrs Carol Morgan, from ICEI membership applications, IV, 128. There are several discrepancies in the dates given in the two accounts, including the date of Friel's birth.

(1) His year of birth is given as 1873 in Inst.CE records and www.familysearch.org but as 1874 in his application for membership of ICEI.   His place of birth is recorded in his 1911 census return .
(2) Thom's Directory Ireland 1956, 657.
(3) Irish Church Directory (1927), 116.
(4) Irish Church Directory (1940), 116.
(5) TICEI 38 (1911-1912), 176.
(6) TICEI 57 (1930-31), 106-147; 59 (1932-33), 34,363.
(7) RIAI Year Book (1957), 43.
(8) Information from Inst.CE amplified by ICEI and RIAI membership lists.
(9) See note 4, above.


10 work entries listed in chronological order for FRIEL, WILLIAM


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Building: CO. WATERFORD, WATERFORD, UPPER GRANGE ROAD, DISTRICT LUNATIC ASYLUM
Date: 1899-1900;1903-
Nature: Sanitary buildings, sewerage &c (Contractor: G. Nolan); new male and female blocks; residence for land steward; heating. Improvements, 1911.
Refs: IAA, PKS B19/14, A08 (Apr 1899); IB 42, 15 Feb,1 Mar 1900, 282,303; 45, 18 Jun,2,16 Jul,8 Oct 1903, 1835,1852,1878,1880,2026; 46, 4 Jun,2 Jul 1904, 350,430; 53, 2 Sep 1911, 597

Building: CO. WATERFORD, WATERFORD, BRIDGE OVER RIVER SUIR
Date: 1901
Nature: Proposal for new bridge at Bilberry Rock. With Thomas Scully.
Refs: Edmund Downey, Waterford's Bridges (Waterford News, n.d.), ?

Building: CO. WATERFORD, WATERFORD, DOCK ROAD, GRANARY WAREHOUSE & JETTY (R. & H. HALL)
Date: 1905
Nature: New reinforced concrete granary with jetty. Building 26 feet long with total height 85 feet, the floors carry the super load of 2 3/4 cwt. per square foot.
Refs: IB 47, 9 Sep 1905, 614;  Paul Larmour, Free State Architecture:  Modern Movement architecture in Ireland, 1922-1949 (Kinsale: Gandon Editions, 2009) , 8,9 (illus.).

Building: CO. WATERFORD, WATERFORD, MALL, BISHOP FOY'S PRIMARY SCHOOL
Date: 1907
Nature: New. for Governors of the Waterford and Bishop Foy Endowed Schools. £3,048.
Refs: IAA, PKS B21/13, A08 (Jan 1907); IB 49, 26 Jan,9 Feb,28 Dec 1907, 46,100,893

Building: CO. MAYO, WESTPORT, QUAY, GRANARY (R. & H. HALL)
Date: 1908
Nature: Granary, with office, caretaker's house, stables &c. Estimated cost £1,150.
Refs: IAA, PKS B21/29, A08 (Mar 1908);  L. G. Mouchel & Partners, Hennebique Ferro-Concrete, 1909, 210 (illus.), (in IAA collection, IEI 151); Paul Larmour, Free State Architecture:  Modern Movement architecture in Ireland, 1922-1949 (Kinsale: Gandon Editions, 2009) , 8,9(illus.).

Building: CO. WATERFORD, WATERFORD, UPPER GRANGE ROAD, UNION WORKHOUSE
Date: 1911
Nature: New annexe and adds. to laundry and drying room. £600.
Refs: IB 53, 30 Sep 1911, 662

Building: CO. TIPPERARY, CARRICK-ON-SUIR, WORKMEN'S HOUSES
Date: 1923
Nature: -
Refs: IB 65, 24 Mar 1923, 214

Building: CO. KILKENNY, THOMASTOWN, COURT HOUSE
Date: 1929
Nature: Works at same?
Refs: Drawing, 1929, in IAA, Edward Cullen Collection, Acc. 2004/160 (not on public access).

Building: CO. WATERFORD, PORTLAW, THE MARTIN (HOSPITAL)
Date: 1932
Nature: Money granted for improvements.
Refs: IB 74, 2 Jul 1932, 611

Building: CO. WATERFORD, WATERFORD, JOHN'S HILL, COUNTY & CITY INFIRMARY
Date: 1932-33
Nature: Grant for works at same (Archts: Friel & Flanagan). Repairs to accident annexe and institution (Archts: Friel & Flanagan in consultation with T.J. Cullen; Contractor: Hearne & Son).
Refs: IB 74, 2 Jul 1932, 611; 75, 4 Nov 1933, 955

Author Title Date Details
Friel, William 'Improvements at Waterford Harbour' 1931 TICEI 57 (1930-31), 106-147.