Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720 - 1940

Engineer, of Belfast. John Swiney was born at Moyagh, Co. Donegal, on 27 March 1855, the second son of John Harris Swiney, a surveyor and engineer. He attended Coleraine Academical Institution and studied engineering at Trinity College, Dublin, from 1872 until 1876, when he graduated with the degree of BAI.(1) He served a pupilage with JOHN BOWER  JOHN BOWER from 1875 to 1877 and remained with Bower for a further year as chief assistant. He then worked under JAMES BARTON  JAMES BARTON on the West Donegal and Banbridge Extension railways. In 1879 he became resident engineer for the Dungannon Waterworks, under JOSEPH LEYCESTER DEVENISH MEARES JOSEPH LEYCESTER DEVENISH MEARES . From 1881 to 1882, after a brief spell of private practice, he worked as contractor's engineer for the Sligo Waterworks under RICHARD HASSARD RICHARD HASSARD , and for the Larne and Ballymoney waterworks under LUKE LIVINGSTON MACASSEY LUKE LIVINGSTON MACASSEY .

Swiney set up permanently in independent practice in Belfast in 1882. By this time he had gained considerable knowledge of water supply schemes, which became his chief area of expertise. He designed or reported on water supply schemes throughout Ulster and elsewhere in Ireland. In 1910 he delivered a paper on 'The Water Supply of Irish Towns' at a meeting of the Royal Sanitary Institute in Dublin.(2) He also did a certain amount of railway work: from 1889 to 1890 he was engineer-in-chief for the Donegal Central and Londonderry and Lough Swilly railways; between 1890 and 1891 he worked on the Collooney & Claremorris and Killybegs extension railways. He reported on engineering projects to the Board of Public Works and to Parliament and was widely consulted by local authorities.

In 1905 Swiney took JOHN ERNEST CROASDAILE  JOHN ERNEST CROASDAILE into partnership.  At about the same time he was joined by the architect GODFREY WILLIAM FERGUSON. GODFREY WILLIAM FERGUSON. (3) Swiney died at home in Belfast on 18 May 1931.   At the time of the 1911 census he had been married for twenty-four years to Sara Meredyth Swiney but had no children.  His pupils and assistants included THOMAS STANISLAUS DUGGAN THOMAS STANISLAUS DUGGAN , JAMES GORDON LENNOX HAYES JAMES GORDON LENNOX HAYES , DAVID MEGAW  DAVID MEGAW and the Cardiff architect Lennox Robertson.(4)

Inst.CE: elected associate member, 21 May 1889; transferred to member, 8 May 1894.

Addresses: Work: Donegall Chambers, Belfast, 1889; Avenue Chambers, 83 Royal Avenue, <=1892-until death.
Home: 23 Antrim Road, Duncairn, Belfast, 1911;  Cloughaneely, Antrim Road, Belfast, at time of death.

See WORKS (includes works of SWINEY & SWINEY & amp; CROASDAILE CROASDAILE ), BIBLIOGRAPHY. BIBLIOGRAPHY.



References

All information in this entry not otherwise accounted for is from Swiney's candidate's circulars for admission as an associate member of Inst.CE, 1889, and for his transfer to full membership, 1892 and 1894 (kindly provided by Mrs Carol Morgan), and from his obituary in IB 73, 6 Jun 1931, 520.

(1) R.C. Cox, compiler, Trinity College School of Engineering: 'Graduates' in Engineering 1843-1992 (1993), unpaginated.
(2) IB 52, 25 Jun 1910, 397.
(3) The practice is named as Swiney & Ferguson in the Irish Times, 23 Oct 1905, as Swiney, Croasdaile & Ferguson in A.C. Freeman, ed., The Architect's & Surveyor's Directory & Referendum (1910), 185, and as Swiney, Ferguson & Croasdaile in both Ferguson and Swiney's obituaries in IB; elsewhere in IB Ferguson's works appear under his name and Swiney & Croasdaile's under theirs.
(4) Directory of British Architects 1834-1914 (RIBA 2001), II, 485.


46 work entries listed in chronological order for SWINEY, JOHN HARRIS HAZLETT


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Building: CO. DONEGAL, RATHMULLEN, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1880?
Nature: JHHS designed and carried out same.
Refs: Candidate's circular for admission as an associate member of Inst.CE, 1889 (information kindly supplied by Mrs Carol Morgan, archivist, Inst.CE)

Building: CO. DONEGAL, RAMELTON, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1880?
Nature: Designed and carried out by JHHS.
Refs: Candidate's circular for admission as an associate member of Inst.CE, 1889

Building: CO. DOWN, GREER'S LOUGH, DRAINAGE
Date: 1889
Nature: Drainage scheme for same.
Refs: Candidate's circulars for admission as an associate member of Inst.CE, 1889, and for his transfer to full membership, 1892 (information kindly supplied by Mrs Carol Moargan, archivist, Inst.CE)

Building: CO. LONGFORD, LONGFORD, WATERWORKS
Date: 1889
Nature: Designed by JHHS. Tender of R. MacAlpine, Kilwinning, Scotland, for £4,965.5s.6d for constructing same accepted.
Refs: Candidate's circular for transfer to full membership of Inst.CE, 6 Apr 1894 (information kindly supplied by Mrs Carol Morgan, archivist, Inst.CE); IB 31, 15 Jul 1889, 187

Building: CO. MONAGHAN, CLONES, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1889-1895
Nature: Contract taken by McMahon & Gray, Clones (£2,899.9s.7d)
Refs: candidate's circulars for admission as an associate member of Inst.CE, 1889, and for his transfer to full membership, 1892 (information kindly supplied by Mrs Carol Morgan, archivist, Inst.CE); IB 37, 1 Mar 1895, 67

Building: CO. DOWN, DUNDRUM (NEAR), MURLOUGH BRIDGE
Date: 1892
Nature: 3-arched stone bridge designed by JHHS.
Refs: Candidate's circular for transfer to full membership of Inst.CE, 6 Apr 1894 (information kindly supplied by Mrs Carol Morgan, archivist, Inst.CE); obituary in IB 73, 6 Jun 1931, 520

Building: CO. SLIGO, ROSSES POINT, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1893
Nature: JHHS reports on wsame.
Refs: Candidate's circular for transfer to full membership of Inst.CE, 6 Apr 1894 (information kindly supplied by Mrs Carol Morgan, archivist, Inst.CE)

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DALKEY, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1894
Nature: JHHS retained by Dalkey Town Commissioners to advise and report on joint scheme for supplying Kingstown and Dalkey with water at cost of £45,000.
Refs: Candidate's circular for transfer to full membership of Inst.CE, 6 Apr 1894 (information kindly supplied by Mrs Carol Morgan, archivist, Inst.CE)

Building: CO. DOWN, HILLSBOROUGH, WATERWORKS
Date: 1894a
Nature: Designed by JHHS.
Refs: Candidate's circular for transfer to full membership of Inst.CE, 6 Apr 1894 (information kindly supplied by Mrs Carol Morgan, archivist, Inst.CE)

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, SUTTON, SEWERAGE
Date: 1894A
Nature: Designed by JHHS.
Refs: Candidate's circular for transfer to full membership of Inst.CE, 6 Apr 1894 (information kindly supplied by Mrs Carol Morgan, archivist, Inst.CE)

Building: CO. DUBLIN, DUBLIN, SUTTON, WATERWORKS
Date: 1894a
Nature: Designed by JHHS.
Refs: Candidate's circular for transfer to full membership of Inst.CE, 6 Apr 1894 (information kindly supplied by Mrs Carol Morgan, archivist, Inst.CE)

Building: CO. TYRONE, OMAGH, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1894a;1901
Nature: Extension, by 1894. Further works, 1901.
Refs: Candidate's circular for transfer to full membership of Inst.CE, 6 Apr 1894 (information kindly supplied by Mrs Carol Morgan, archivist, Inst.CE); IB 43, 20 Jun 1901, 768

Building: CO. MEATH, KELLS, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1894p
Nature: New water supply designed by JHHS. . Contractor: R.S. Barnes, Navan (£3,700)
Refs: Candidate's circular for transfer to full membership of Inst.CE, 6 Apr 1894 (information kindly supplied by Mrs Carol Morgan, archivist, Inst.CE); IB 37, 15 Sep 1895, 218; 38, 1 Aug 1896, 161

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, DONEGALL PASS, SEWER
Date: 1895
Nature: Work on outfall sewer.
Refs: IB 37, 1 May 1895, 121

Building: CO. ANTRIM, LARNE, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1896;1902;1903;1904;1908
Nature: New water supply scheme. Contractor: Hegarty & Gault (£3103.11s.5d). Extension, 1904. Contractor: Grainger Bros, Holyrood, Belfast (£3,353.16s.2d.). Improvements and extension by Swiney & Croasdaile, 1908. Contractor: Hegarty & Gault, Ballymena (£4,935.6s.5d.).
Refs: IB 45, 1 Oct,15 Nov 1896, 209,242; 44, 2 Jul 1902, 422; 45, 12 Feb 1903, 1598; 46, 2 Jul 1904, 422; 50, 11 Jan,21Mar,2 May 1908, 30,190,285

Building: CO. MEATH, NAVAN, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1898
Nature: Contractor: W. McLarnon, Belfast.
Refs: IB 40, 15 Feb 1898, 28

Building: CO. CAVAN, CAVAN, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1898
Nature: Contract given to: W. McLarnon, Belfast (£5,601).
Refs: IB 40, 15 Feb 1898, 28,30

Building: CO. DERRY, COLERAINE, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1899
Nature: JHHC holds Local Government Board inquiry into naew wsaterworks scheme.
Refs: IB 41, 15 Oct 1899, 158

Building: CO. DUBLIN, PORTRANE, LUNATIC ASYLUM
Date: 1899;1903-04
Nature: Water works, 1899. Contractor: William Baird. Extension of water supply, 1903-4
Refs: IAA, PKS B19/04; IB 45, 21 May 1903, 1778; 46, 30 Jul 1904, 496

Building: CO. DOWN, HELEN'S BAY, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1901
Nature: Water supply.
Refs: IB 43, 19 Dec 1901, 978

Building: CO. GALWAY, GALWAY, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1901
Nature: Water supply.
Refs: IB 43, 18 Jul 1901, 800

Building: CO. MONAGHAN, CLONES, SEWERAGE
Date: 1901
Nature: Sewerage and disposal works.
Refs: IB 43, 15 Aug 1901, 831

Building: CO. ROSCOMMON, BOYLE, WATERWORKS
Date: 1901;1903;1909
Nature: Plans for same, 1901, tenders received, 1903. Remedies defects, 1909. For Boyle RDC.
Refs: IB 43, 7 Nov 1901, 932; 45, 13 Aug 1903, 1912; 51, 16 Oct 1909, 669

Building: CO. TYRONE, DUNGANNON, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1903
Nature: Improvement.
Refs: IB 45, 26 Feb,18 Jun 1903, 1620,1834,1854

Building: CO. DOWN, BANBRIDGE, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1903-1909
Nature: For Portadown & Banbridge Joint Board, with R.H. Dorman, Co. Surveyor, Armagh; 'practically completed' by Aug 1909.
Refs: IB 45, 26 Feb 1903, 1620; 46, 27 Feb 1904, 120; 51, 7 Aug 1909, 506

Building: CO. ARMAGH, PORTADOWN, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1903-1909
Nature: For Portadown & Banbridge Joint Board, with R.H. Dorman, Co. Surveyor, Armagh; 'practically completed' by Aug 1909.
Refs: IB 45, 26 Feb 1903, 1620; 46, 27 Feb 1904, 120; 51, 7 Aug 1909, 506

Building: CO. DOWN, CULTRA, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1904
Nature: JHHS called in by Castlereagh RDC to advise on best means of procuring water supply to Cultra.
Refs: IB 46, 7 May 1904, 294

Building: CO. DOWN, NEWTOWNARDS, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1904-1906
Nature: New water supply scheme, including tunnel, reservoir & aqueduct. By Swiney & Croasdaile. Cost: £18,000.
Refs: IB 46, 23 Apr,19 Nov 1904, 260,795; 47, 25 Feb 1905, 139; 48, 7 Oct,17 Nov,1,15 Dec 1906, 694,941,974,1004

Building: CO. DOWN, NEWTOWNARDS, SEWERAGE
Date: 1905-1909
Nature: New sewerage scheme by Swiney & Croasdiale.. Contractor: J. & R. Thompson (£13,000).
Refs: IB 47, 21 Oct 1905, 754; 48, 7 Oct 1906, 694; 51, 16,30 Oct,25 Dec 1909, 669,703,804

Building: CO. ANTRIM, PORTRUSH, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1905;1907;1909
Nature: Water supply, by Swiney & Croasdaile, for Portrush UDC..
Refs: IB 47, 7 Oct 1905, 714; 51, 3 Apr 1909, 217; Building News 93, 19 Jul 1907, 71

Building: CO. DOWN, CASTLEWELLAN, WATERWORKS
Date: 1905;1908
Nature: By Swiney & Croasdaile in association with J. McAleenan, CE, Castlewellan.
Refs: IB 47, 25 Feb 1905, 139; 50, 25 Jul 1908, 466

Building: CO. DERRY, PORTSTEWART, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1906
Nature: Portstewart RDC invites JHHS to 'advise and report upon the scheme proposed for improving the supply of water to Portstewart'.
Refs: IB 48, 17 Nov 1906, 941?

Building: CO. ARMAGH, TANDRAGEE, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1906
Nature: -
Refs: IB 48, 9 Feb 1906, 110

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BALLYMONEY, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1906
Nature: Improvements.
Refs: IB 48, 1 Dec 1906, 974

Building: CO. DOWN, CASTLEREAGH, SEWERAGE
Date: 1906
Nature: JHHS to advise Castlereagh RDC on sewerage.
Refs: IB 48, 25 Aug 1906, 701

Building: CO. DOWN, NEWCASTLE, SEWERAGE
Date: 1906-10
Nature: Sewerage scheme by Swiney & Croasdaile.. £8226.
Refs: IB 48, 28 Jul 1906, 618; 52, 19 Feb,15 Oct 1910, 125,648

Building: CO. DOWN, KILKEEL, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1906;1908-09
Nature: New water supply scheme for Kilkeel RDC, by Swiney & Croasdaile, in association with J. McAleenan, CE, Castlewellan. Contractor: J. Callan, Castleblayney (£2,822).
Refs: IB 48, 9 Feb 1906, 110; 50, 13 Jun,11 Jul 1908, 383,442; 51, 27 Nov,11 Dec 1909, 753,793

Building: CO. DOWN, NEWCASTLE, PUBLIC BATHS
Date: 1908
Nature: Swiney & Croasdaile to prepare report on proposed scheme.
Refs: IB 50, 31 Oct 1908, 678

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BALLYMENA, WATERWORKS
Date: 1909-1910;1915
Nature: Extension, by Swiney & Croasdaile, 1910. New main from storage reservoir to filters, 1915 (Contractor: James Ross & Sons, Belfast (£3,097).
Refs: IB 51, 29 May 1909, 342; 52, 5 Feb 1910, 94; Building News109, 21 Jul 1915, 62

Building: CO. ANTRIM, BELFAST, CASTLE HILL (KNOCK), CULVERT
Date: 1910
Nature: 3-ft concrete culvert.
Refs: IB 52, 23 Jul 1910, 473

Building: CO. ANTRIM, TOOMEBRIDGE, WEIR
Date: 1910
Nature: Swiney & Croasdaile get contract for repair of same.
Refs: IB 52, ? Oct 1910, 616

Building: CO. DOWN, NEWTOWNARDS (NEAR), RESERVOIR
Date: 1910
Nature: New reservoir for Ulster Print Works, Ltd.
Refs: IB 52. 24 Dec 1910, 800

Building: CO. MONAGHAN, TOGAN, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1911
Nature: Increased storage of water supply. By Swiney & Croasdaile.
Refs: IB 53, 16 Sep 1911, 637

Building: CO. DOWN, WARRENPOINT, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1911
Nature: Water supply & reservoir. By Swiney & Croasdaile.
Refs: IB 53, 4 Mar 1911, 137

Building: CO. MONAGHAN, MONAGHAN, WATERWORKS
Date: 1912
Nature: Improvement scheme.
Refs: IB 54, 9 Nov 1912, 648

Building: CO. DERRY, COLERAINE, WATER SUPPLY
Date: 1928-1931
Nature: JHHS consultant engineer for water supply extension scheme, for Coleraine UDC. (Succeeded at his death by J.E. Croasdaile)
Refs: IB 70, 9 Jun 1928, 508; 73, 6 Jun 1931, 520

Author Title Date Details
Swiney, John Harris Hazlett 'On the cleansing of the 6-inch main of the Omagh waterworks' 1887 TICEI 19 (1887-88), 20-33