Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Architect, of Dublin. William Henry O'Donnell, who came from an old established Co. Clare family, was born in Dublin in 1892. After attending Mountjoy School, he was apprenticed to FREDERICK HAYES FREDERICK HAYES . He worked for the Land Commission before joining the staff of the Board of Works in 1922. With FRANCIS BROWNRIGG CRAIG  FRANCIS BROWNRIGG CRAIG he was responsible for the rebuilding or restoration of a number of police barracks throughout the country. Subsequently he was placed in charge of the newly established schools section, retaining this position until his death, which took place in 1942. His last work, the new schools in North Crumlin for 3,000 children, was completed after he died.(1) His obituarist in the RIAI Year Book (1943 & 1944) described him as a lovable enthusiast, who found his greatest pleasure in architecture, and suggested that his willingness 'to sacrifice sleep and forgo food' for his work was one of the factors which contributed to his relatively early death.

AAI:(2) elected member, 1912; winner of second prize for class work for session 1913-14; hon. secretary, 1917-18; winner of first prize for class work (history) for session 1917-18; hon. treasurer, 1918-22; winner of Downes Bronze Medal for session 1918-19; hon. secretary and treasurer of Architects' Golfing Society, 1919-1926; resigned membership, 1933.
RIAI:(3) student, 1919-1921; winner of second prize in Part 1, Section 3, of competition for design for industrial dwellings, 1919;(4) elected member, 1921.

Addresses:(5) Home: 22 Belvidere Place, Dublin, 1913-1914; 35 Palmerston Road, Rathmines, 1915-1921; 28 Oakley Road, 1922; 22 Ashfield Park, Harold's Cross, 1925; 24 Victoria Road, Rathgar, <=1927-1938; 23 Victoria Road, Rathgar, 1939->=1942.

See WORKS.



References

All information in this entry not otherwise accounted for is from the obituary of O'Donnell in RIAI Year Book (1943 & 1944), 35.

(1) IB 85, 18 Dec 1943, 478.
(2) Information from AAI Green Books.
(3) From RIAI lists of members unless otherwise stated.
(4) JRIAI (1920), 7.
(5) From AAI and RIAI lists of members and Thom's directories.


4 work entries listed in chronological order for O'DONNELL, WILLIAM HENRY


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Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, MARLBOROUGH STREET, TYRONE HOUSE, CENTRAL MODEL SCHOOLS
Date: 1939
Nature: Proposed new bi-lingual infants' school.
Refs: IAA, PKS 0264

Building: CO. CARLOW, GRAIGUECULLEN, SCHOOL
Date: 1940-42
Nature: Contractor: D. & J. Carberry, Athy.
Refs: IB 82, 23 Nov 1940, 710; 84, 31 Jan 1942, 54

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, MOURNE ROAD (CRUMLIN NORTH), NO. 137 (NATIONAL SCHOOLS)
Date: 1940-43
Nature: Boys, girls and infants national schools. Boys' school completed first. Girls' and infants' school 'rapidly approaching completion'. For Office of Public Works.
Refs: IAA, PKS 0553; drawings, 1941, in NA, OPW collection; IB 85, 18 Dec 1943, 478;  Paul Larmour, Free State Architecture:  Modern Movement architecture in Ireland, 1922-1949 (Kinsale: Gandon Editions, 2009), 72,73(illus.)


Building: CO. GALWAY, TUAM, CHRISTIAN BROTHERS NATIONAL SCHOOLS
Date: 1941
Nature: Proposed? design by W.H.O'D and J.M. Fairweather.
Refs: IAA, PKS 0220