Architect, of Dublin. Lucius O'Callaghan, second son of JAMES JOSEPH O'CALLAGHAN JAMES JOSEPH O'CALLAGHAN , was born on 18 August 1877 at his father's house, 31 Harcourt Street, Dublin. After attending the Catholic University School and Blackrock College, he became a pupil of in his father's office. He then worked for THOMAS DREW THOMAS DREW , GEORGE PATRICK SHERIDAN GEORGE PATRICK SHERIDAN and WILLIAM HENRY BYRNE WILLIAM HENRY BYRNE before setting up in independent practice at the age of twenty-six. On 31 August 1908 he entered into partnership with JAMES HENRY WEBB JAMES HENRY WEBB , who was his senior by four years. Eleven years later, on 30 August 1919, LOUIS GIRON LOUIS GIRON was taken into the partnership, though the name of the practice remained unchanged. When Webb left the partnership on 31 August 1931, O'Callaghan and Giron carried on the practice as O'CALLAGHAN & CALLAGHAN & amp; GIRON. O'C GIRON. O'C allaghan acted as assessor in the Cork town hall competition of 1923 and the AAI prize for the session 1933-34.
O'Callaghan was a connoisseur and collector of paintings - particularly seventeenth century Dutch works - and of antique furniture and porcelain. In 1917 he was appointed governor and guardian of the National Gallery of Ireland for a five-year term, and, in November 1923, director, having stipulated in his application for the post that, if appointed, he should be allowed to continue to practise as an architect. He conducted the gallery's affairs 'in a quiet and efficient manner' until June 1927, when he resigned on account of his architectural commitments.
O'Callaghan died on 5 December 1954, leaving Louis Giron to carry on the practice. A tall man, of few words and an imperturbable manner, he was remembered by GEORGE FRANCIS BECKETT GEORGE FRANCIS BECKETT as giving the impression of 'a man of much nervous strength very patiently controlled', who was a perfectionist in his work. His leisure pursuits included rugby football, yachting, fishing, and - when the weather permitted - skating. At the time of the 1911 census he was unmarried.
AAI: on first committee of revived association, 1896; awarded Beckett prize for three sketches of campanile, Trinity College,and first prize for technical demonstrations, 8 October 1901; hon. secretary, 1905-6, 1906-7; vice-president, 1907-8, 1908-9.
RIAI: elected member 4 February 1907, having been proposed by THOMAS DREW THOMAS DREW , seconded by WILLIAM MANSFIELD MITCHELL WILLIAM MANSFIELD MITCHELL and RICHARD CAULFIELD ORPEN RICHARD CAULFIELD ORPEN ; council member, 1910-15, 1919-1954; raised to fellow, 1913; hon. treasurer, 1916-1918; president 1920-22.
RHA: elected associate, 1921; elected member, Jul 1923.
RSAI: member at time of death.
Addresses: Work: 22 or 27 South Frederick Street, 1906; 31 South Frederick Street, 1907 until death.
Home: 16 Nassau Street, 1901; 82 Waterloo Road, <=1903 until death.
See WORKS and BIBLIOGRAPHY BIBLIOGRAPHY . Works by O'Callaghan from September 1908 to August 1931 are listed under O'CALLAGHAN & CALLAGHAN & amp; WEBB, from September 1931 until December 1954 under O'CALLAGHAN & CALLAGHAN & amp; GIRON. GIRON.
References
All information in this entry not otherwise accounted for is from the article on O'Callaghan by 'Oculus' in IB 64, 14 Jan 1922, 9, which is illustrated with a portrait photograph.
Date from handwritten notes by Jones in file O18, his source apparently being a telephone conversation with an unknown interlocutor (probably Giron himself).
He exhibited a drawing of Drew's design for the Tercentenery Buildings at Trinity College, Dublin, at the RHA in 1901 (No. 297), from his father's address at 16 Nassau Street.
See note 1, above; also IB 50, 19 Sep 1908, 565.
See note 1, above.
See note 1, above.
Irish Times, 16 Nov 1922; IB 64, 18 Nov 1922, 790,797; 65, 13 Jan,16,30 Jun 1923, 5,14,444,485.
IB 76, 5 May 1934, 370.
Building News 112, 17 Jan 1917, 65.
Information about O'Callaghan's application for, and tenure of, the post is from H. Potterton's introduction to National Gallery of Ireland: Illustrated Summary Catalogue of Paintings (1981), xxxi-xxxiii, which contains a photograph of him.
See note 1, above.
George F. Beckett, 'A personal tribute', RIAI Year Book 1955, 27.
From lists of officers and members in AAI Green Books unless otherwise stated.
IAA Green Book (1918), 18.
IB 43, 24 Oct,7 Nov 1901, 908,934.
From RIAI lists of officers and members unless otherwise stated.
IAA, RIAI office archives (Acc. 93/136), membership forms 1878-1909 (extremely fragile); IB 49, 9 Feb 1907, 102.
JRIAI (1914), 7.
JRIAI (1920), 1.
Irish Times, 27 Jul 1923.
JRSAI 86 (1956), 122.
Given as 22 in IB 48, 22 Sep 1906, 753, but as 27 in Thom's Directory for 1907.
IB 49, 1 Jun 1907, 402.
Census of Ireland, 1901.
From AAI lists of members and Thom's directories.
