Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Architect, of Dublin. Alfred A. Murphy, who was born in Castleknock, Co. Dublin, circa 1886, became an indentured pupil in the firm of MILLAR & MILLAR & amp; SYMES  SYMES in 1904.(1) He appears to have worked subsequently in the office of FREDERICK HAYES  FREDERICK HAYES at 24 Nassau Street, which he gave as his own address in the AAI membership list for the session 1910-11. In 1912 or 1913 he set up in independent practice at 23 St Andrew Street. By 1920 he had moved to 8 Trinity Street and by 1922 to 18 Nassau Street, where he worked in partnership with R.A. Farquharson and C.R. Walshe, an engineer, as Murphy, Farquharson & Walshe. Soon afterwards he was engaged by the Office of Public Works to carry out projects in Cos. Mayo and Limerick.(2) He returned to private practice in 1929.(3) In about 1952 he gave up his Dublin office but continued to practise from his home, Carraig-na-Mara, Sandycove Avenue East, Dun Laoghaire. He died on 16 January 1968, leaving a widow.(4) His pupils and assistants included CHRISTOPHER JOSEPH DERMOT O'TOOLE  CHRISTOPHER JOSEPH DERMOT O'TOOLE and DESMOND HENRY WOODWORTH.  DESMOND HENRY WOODWORTH.

Murphy was a keen yachtsman, who introduced the Firefly class to Ireland and was Commodore of the National Yacht Club from 1950 until 1956. He was also captain of Killiney Golf Club in 1940.

AAI: elected member, 1904; co-winner (with PATRICK JOHN FITZGERALD MUNDEN PATRICK JOHN FITZGERALD MUNDEN ) of Institute prize (for a design for a public memorial) and winner of President's prize ('for the best pair of water colour sketches made during the session') for session 1909-10;(5) winner of Institute prize (for design for a fire brigade station and ambulance depot) for session 1913-14;(6) ceased membership from 1917.
RIAI: elected member, 1919.

Addresses: Work: 24 Nassau Street, 1910; 23 St Andrew's Street, 1913-17; 8 Trinity Street, 1920; 18 Nassau Street, 1922; District Office of Public Works, Limerick, 1926-1928; 16 Nassau Street, 1929-1931; 9a Trinity Street, 1932-33; 13 Dawson Street, 1933-1951.
Home: 15 Windsor Terrace, Dun Laoghaire, 1905-1909; Mount Alverno, Sorrento Road, Dalkey, 1911-1912,1915-1916; 67 Newtown Avenue, Blackrock, 1942?-1950; Carraig-na-Mara, Sandycove Avenue East, Dun Laoghaire, 1951 until death.

See WORKS.



References

All information in this entry not otherwise accounted for is from the obituary of Murphy in RIAI Year Book (1968), 35, AAI and RIAI lists of members, and Thom's directories. Some of the information in the obituary about Murphy's early career is not supported by the evidence of the membership lists and directories.

(1) Indenture in collection of Mrs D. Millar, 1976.
(2) IB 71, 20 Jul 1929, 671.
(3) See note 2, above.
(4) His estate was valued at £31,695 (unidentified press cutting in Jones file).
(5) AAI Green Book (1910), 49,51; 1910-11, 34; IB 52, 5 Mar 1910, 146.
(6) AAI Green Book (1914), 39; AAI Green Book (1915), 40;  Irish Times, 6 May 1914..


18 work entries listed in chronological order for MURPHY, ALFRED AUGUSTINE


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Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, LORD EDWARD STREET, NO. 021-25 (MUNICIPAL BUILDINGS) (PROPOSED)
Date: 1913
Nature: Competition entrant.
Refs: Irish Times, 1 Apr 1913.

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, SOUTH QUAY, NO. 012 (WICKLOW CORN CO.)
Date: 1920
Nature: New offices.
Refs: IB 62, 13 Mar 1920, 160

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, BROOKFIELD ROAD (KILMAINHAM), HOUSES (014)
Date: 1930
Nature: Plans approved by City Architect, Apr 1931.  For Miss Kenny.
Refs: IB 72, 6 Dec 1930, 1100';   Irish Times, 2 Apr 1931.

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, IMAAL ROAD, SHOPS
Date: 1931
Nature: -
Refs: IB 73, 26 Sep 1931, 846

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, HERBERTON ROAD, HOUSES (012)
Date: 1932
Nature: Plans for 12 houses for T. McGough approved by City Architect, Nov 1932. Probably the same houses as those being built to designs by AAM by P. McGough, 13 St James's Tce, Dolphin's Barn, Dec 1932. (Neither P. or T. McGough mentioned in Thom's Directories for 1932 and 1933.)
Refs: Irish Times, 10 Nov 1932;   IB 74, 17 Dec 1932, 1136

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, FORTFIELD ESTATE (TERENURE), HOUSES
Date: 1932-33
Nature: For Waters & Murphy, builders. (These may be the houses described in list of houses for sale  in Irish Times, 19 Apr 1933. ) 
Refs: IB 74, 27 Aug,3 Dec 1932, 782,1092; 75, 20 May,7 Oct 1933, 430,865; 76, 10 Feb 1934, 114

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, WESTFIELD ROAD (HAROLD'S CROSS), HOUSES (010)
Date: 1932-33
Nature: Tenders invited for erecting 10 semi-detached houses (of a scheme of 116 houses) for Desmond Fitzgerald, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Jul 1932. 
Refs: Draft estimate, quantities, summary description of cost of constructing 10 semi-detached houses for Desmond Fitzgerald, Jul-Aug 1932, in papers of Roberts & Co, UCD Archives Department, P174/56,57;  Irish Times, 16 Jul 1932. 21 Oct 1933 (llustrated advertisement for smi-detached houses on Westfield estate);  IB 74, 22 Oct 1932, 950; 75, 11 Mar 1933, 200

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, DONNYBROOK ROAD, NO. 042A-42B (JOSEPH FIELD)
Date: 1933
Nature: New shop front, for Mr J. Field. Builder: M.J. Greene & Sons, Donybrook.
Refs: IB 75, 7 Oct 1933, 865

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, WESTFIELD ROAD (HAROLD'S CROSS), HOUSES (008)
Date: 1933
Nature: For Westfield Estate Co. Builder: John Fleming, St Brigid's, Howth Rd, Raheny.
Refs: IB 75, 29 Jul 1933, 654; Irish Times, 21 Oct 1933 (llustrated advertisement for smi-detached houses on Westfield estate)

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, KIMMAGE ROAD UPPER, HOUSES (004)
Date: 1933
Nature: Builder: Waters & Murphy.
Refs: IB 75, 15 Jul 1933, 610

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, KIMMAGE CROSS ROADS, HOUSES
Date: 1934
Nature: Builder: Waters & Murphy, Ashbrook.
Refs: IB 76, 10 Feb 1934, 114#

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, WESTFIELD ROAD (HAROLD'S CROSS), HOUSES
Date: 1934
Nature:  Semi-detached 3-bedroomed houses advertised as for sale, Nov, Dec 1934.
Refs:  Irish Times, 3 Nov,15 Dec 1934(illus.).

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, FORTFIELD ROAD (TERENURE), HOUSES (006)
Date: 1934
Nature: Builder: Waters & Murphy, Ashbrook.
Refs: IB 76, 8 Sep 1934, 769

Building: CO. LOUTH, DUNLEER, COURT HOUSE
Date: 1939
Nature: Tenders invited for carrying out alterations
Refs: IB 81, 18 Feb 1939, 154

Building: CO. LOUTH, DROGHEDA, HOSPITAL
Date: 1948
Nature: Extension.
Refs: IB 90, 2 Oct 1948, 812

Building: CO. DUBLIN, MONKSTOWN, MONKSTOWN PARK SCHOOL
Date: 1950
Nature: Extension, for Christian Brothers.
Refs: IAA, PKS 0248

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, BURLINGTON ROAD, NO. 020
Date: 1950
Nature: Alts. for L.G. Carr Lett.
Refs: IB 92, 23 Dec 1950, 1390

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, RANELAGH, NO. 127 & 129
Date: 1958
Nature: Alts., for F. McCauley.
Refs: IB 100, 26 Jul 1958, 541