Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Architect with the Office of Public Works. Patrick Joseph Lynch, a son of PATRICK LYNCH PATRICK LYNCH , district surveyor for the Irish Prisons Board,(1) was born on 16 November 1849.(2) He was educated by the Christian Brothers and attended the Dublin School of Art. He then entered the office of James Ryan & Sons, builders of Waterford and Limerick, before sitting the examination for the post of assistant surveyor in the Office of Public Works, in which he was placed first. By 1880 he was district clerk of works for the Limerick area and by 1907 he had been promoted to the position of assistant principal surveyor in charge of the south of Ireland. For most of his career he was based in Limerick, although he spent a few years in Tralee from 1887 or earlier until 1891. He retired on 9 Mar 1910.(3) After his retirement he lived at a variety of addresses in Dublin and Dun Laoghaire, including the Leinster Club in Clare Street and the Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire. He suffered for many years from spinal curvature, which, according to his obituary in the Irish Builder was 'contracted through a severe wetting in the performance of his official duties'. He died in Dun Laoghaire on 15 June 1930, leaving an estate of £4,780.(4)

Although, according to the obituary in the Irish Builder Lynch 'never designed a building of importance', in his official capacity he supervised 'an enormous amount of work throughout the south and west of Ireland'. It was through this work that he first became interested in the archaeology of the area for which he had responsibility. He developed a detailed knowledge of Irish antiquities, particularly those of Cos. Limerick and Kerry. He was for many years honorary provincial secretary for Munster of the RSAI and was a frequent contributor to the society's journal. He was a founder member of the Limerick Field Club, of which he became president.(5) He also founded the North Munster Archaeological Society, editing its journal until his retirement, and was one of the original members of the Kerry Archaeological Association.(6) After his retirement he was appointed honorary secretary of the RIAI's committee on ancient and historic buildings.(7) He strongly urged the preparation of an inventory of the ancient monuments of Ireland.(8)

Lynch was a keen advocate for the establishment of a system of architectural education in Ireland and a staunch supporter of the School of Architecture at UCD, to which he presented his library of books on art and architecture in 1927.(9) In Limerick he was appointed to the sub-committee which drew up a scheme for the Limerick Athenaeum's Schools of Science and Art in 1889.(10)

Lynch is described in his obituary in the Irish Builder as 'interested in every form of art and literary culture'; even towards the end of his life he was 'immeasurably more up to date in all that was best in modern thought than most of his contemporaries, or even the youth of his time and profession'. He travelled widely in Europe. Of his personality, 'absolute staunchness and loyalty was his first and last characteristic…In social intercourse he had charm, character, ability and real kindliness.'

The Irish Architectural Archive has a collection of miscellaneous papers which belonged to Lynch, which includes plans of tower houses and other antiquities, photographs, engravings and press cuttings (Acc.78/34)

AAI:(11) elected member, 1896; lectures on 'Early Christian Architecture of Ireland', 7 January 1902,(12) 'Holiday rambles with a camera', 20 February 1906, 'History of the Romanesque style of architecture', 26 February 1914;(13) offers prize of 5 guineas for design for a parish hall and library, 1905.(14)
RIAI: elected member, 2 Dec 1889, having been proposed by ROBERT COCHRANE ROBERT COCHRANE , J.H. OWEN and FREDERICK FRANKLIN  FREDERICK FRANKLIN and seconded by JOHN HOWARD PENTLAND  JOHN HOWARD PENTLAND and JAMES HIGGINSOWEN JAMES HIGGINSOWEN ;(15) raised to rank of fellow, 1913;(16) appointed hon. secretary of Ancient & Historic Buildings Committee, 1915.(17)
RSAI: elected member 5 July 1881;(18) fellow, 1889; honorary provincial secretary for Munster, 1889;(19) vice-president 1910.(20)
RIA: elected member, Mar 1912.(21)

Addresses:(22) Lower Hartstonge Street, 1880;(23) 11 Hartstonge Street, Limerick, 1882;(24) District Office of Public Works, Tralee, 1889;(25) 8 Mallow St Limerick, 1894;(26) 8 Upper Mallow St, Limerick, 1910;(27) 5 Sandycove Avenue W, Dun Laoghaire, 1910-11; 9 Northbrook Road, Leeson Park, Dublin, 1912-1915; 44 St Stephen's Green, 1916-17; 29 Clare Street, 1918; 5 Sandycove Avenue West, Dun Laoghaire, 1919; 29 Clare Street, 1921-1924; Royal Marine Hotel, Dun Laoghaire, 1925-27; 26 Adelaide Street, Dun Laoghaire, 1928 until death.

See BIBLIOGRAPHY. BIBLIOGRAPHY.



References

All information in this entry not otherwise accounted for is from the obituaries of Lynch in IB 72, 21 June 1930, 552, and JRSAI 61 (1931), 83; his death is also noted in the Cork Historical and Archaeological Society Journal 35, 53. A photograph of Lynch is in IB 52, 2 Apr 1910, 217; the same photograph appears again in IB 53, 18 Feb 1911, 101.

(1) A plan, section and elevation of an iron prison on Spike Island, Cobh, dated 18 Aug 1869, in the drawings collection of the Office of Public Works, National Archives, is signed 'Patrick Lynch'.
(2) Jones transcript from OPW records.
(3) Jones transcript from OPW arecords; IB 52, 2 Apr,15 Oct 1910, 217,629.
(4) Weekly Irish Times, 1 Nov 1930. 
(5) IB 55, 19 Nov 1903, 2083.
(6) Journal of the Kerry Archaeological Association 1 (1908-12), 47.
(7) Building News. 15 Sep 1915, 307; IB 57, 6 Nov 1915, 478.
(8) IB 56, 28 Feb 1914, ?.
(9) IB 69, 3 Sep 1927, 633; 70, 4 Aug 1928, 653.
(10) IB 31, 15 Oct 1889, 259.
(11) From lists of members and programmes of events in AAI Green Books unless otherwise stated.
(12) Irish Times, 7,9 Jan 1902; IB 44, 16 Jan 1902, 1001.
(13)   Irish Times, 27 Feb 1914;  IB 56, 28 Feb 1914, 117; there is also a reference to a lecture given by Lynch on the Scilly Islands 'some years ago' in IB 70, 10 Nov 1928, ?.
(14) AAI Green Book (1906), 50; the prize was won by H.G. Leask.
(15) RIAI council meeting minutes, 3 Jun,2 Dec 1889, 273,277.
(16) JRIAI (1914), 7.
(17) See note 5, above; for his report for 1917, see IB 60, 5 Jan 1918, 14.
(18) JRSAI 15 (1879-1882), 499.
(19) JRSAI 19 (1889), 14.
(20) IB 52, 15 Oct 1910, 630.
(21) IB 54, 30 Mar 1912, 186.
(22) From AAI and RIAI lists of members unless otherwise stated.
(23) Bassett's Limerick City…Directory, 1880.
(24) JRSAI 15 (1879-82), 499.
(25) RIAI council meeting minutes,. 2 Dec 1889.
(26) JRSAI 24 (1894), list of members.
(27) Journal of the Galway Archaeological and Historical Society 6 (1909-10), 126.


Author Title Date Details
Lynch, Patrick Joseph 'Old Castle of Kilmallock' 1889 JRSAI 19 (1889), 80, and IB 31, 1 Jul 1889, ?.
Lynch, Patrick Joseph 'Kilelton Church, near Kilgobbin, Co. Kerry' 1889 JRSAI 19 (1889), 118.
Lynch, Patrick Joseph 'Notes on Kilmakilloge church' 1898 JRSAI 28 (1898), 324.
Lynch, Patrick Joseph 'Caherconree, Co. kerry' 1899 JRSAI 29 (1899), 5.
Lynch, Patrick Joseph 'Church Island, Valentia Harbour, Co. Kerry' 1900 JRSAI 30 (1900), 155.
Lynch, Patrick Joseph 'The antiquities of Ballinskelligs & St Finan's Bay, Co. Kerry' 1901 JRSAI 31 (1901), 304.
Lynch, Patrick Joseph 'Early Christian Architecture of Ireland' 1902 IB 44, 16 Jan 1902, 1001. (Summary of paper read to AAI, Jan 1902.)
Lynch, Patrick Joseph 'Some of the antiquities around Ballinskelligs Bay, Co. Kerry' 1902 JRSAI 32 (1902), 321.
Lynch, Patrick Joseph 'Some of the antiquities around St Finan's Bay, Co. Kerry' 1902 JRSAI 32 (1902), 42.
Lynch, Patrick Joseph 'A holiday ramble with a camera' 1906 IB 48, 10 Mar 1906, 188. (Account of lecture given to AAI, Feb 1906.)
Lynch, Patrick Joseph 'The antiquities of Caherlehillan, Iveragh, Co. Kerry' 1906 JRSAI 36 (1906), 276.
Lynch, Patrick Joseph 'Some notes on Church Island, Lough Currane, Iveragh, Co. Kerry' 1908 JRSAI 38 (1908), 368.
Lynch, Patrick Joseph 'Ogham Stone in Cloghanecarhane, Co. Kerry' 1909 JRSAI 39 (1909), 164.
Lynch, Patrick Joseph 'Ogham stone in Cloghanecarhan, co. Kerry' 1909 JRSAI 39 (1909), 164.
Lynch, Patrick Joseph 'An old bill of measurement' 1909 IB 51, 7 Aug 1909, 489.
Lynch, Patrick Joseph 'Irish Ecclesiastical Architecture' 1911 IB 53, 27 May 1911, 342-350. (Anonymous review of Arthur Champney's Irish Ecclesiastical Architecture ; for Champney's response, Lynch's answer, and Champney's further response, see IB 53, 8,22 Jul 1911, 342-353,446-453,482-485.
Lynch, Patrick Joseph 'Carvings at the Rock of Cashel' 1912 JRSAI 42 (1912), 148.
Lynch, Patrick Joseph 'History of the Romanesque style of architecture' 1914 IB 56, 28 Mar,11 Apr 1914, 184-188,215-219. (Paper read to AAI, 26 Feb 1914.)
Lynch, Patrick Joseph 'Historic spots in mid-Clare' 1915 Ennis Saturday Record, ? ? 1915. (Article noted in IB 58, 1 Jan 1916, 5.)
Lynch, Patrick Joseph 'An exhibition of Irish building industries' 1917 IB 59, 17 Feb 1917, 86.
Lynch, Patrick Joseph 'Topographical notes on the barony of Coshlea, Co. Limerick' 1920 JRSAI 50 (1920), 99.
Lynch, Patrick Joseph 'Origins of the Early Christian Church' 1929 IB 71, 12 Oct 1929, 908.