James Joseph McCarthy

James Joseph McCarthy was an Irish architect known for his design of ecclesiastical buildings. McCarthy was born in Dublin, Ireland on 6 January 1817. His parents were from County Kerry. He was educated by the Christian Brothers in Richmond St., and went on to study architecture at the Royal Dublin Society School. He was a follower of the style of the architect Pugin and Gothic Revival. He designed many religious buildings to include convents and 80 churches and cathedrals.

McCarthy served as Professor of Ecclesiastical Architecture at All Hallows College, Dublin. He was also appointed Professor of Architecture at the Catholic University of Ireland and at the Royal Hibernian Academy. McCarthy was a friend of Dr. Bartholomew Woodlock, who had been rector of both All Hallows' and the Catholic University, and he helped Woodlock to found the Irish Ecclesiological Society in 1849. He was also a close friend of Charles Gavan Duffy and was a member of the Young Irelanders.

He died in 1882 and is interred in Glasnevin Cemetery.

Buildings J.J McCarthy completed over fifty commissions for churches, monasteries, convents and cathedrals. Cathedral of the Assumption, Thurles, County Tipperary St. Brendan's, Ardfert, County Kerry Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, Ballingarry, County Limerick St. Kevins, Glendalough St. James's Church, Killorglin, County Kerry St. Joseph's, Carrickmacross, Monaghan St Macartan's Cathedral, Monaghan St. Mary's Church, Dingle, County Kerry St. Mary's Parish Church, Maynooth, County Kildare St. Mary's Church, Rathkeale, County Limerick. St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh St. Peter and Paul Church, Kilmallock, County Limerick, Mortuary Chapel, Glasnevin Cemetery, Dublin Killarney Franciscan Friary, County Kerry Capuchian Franciscan Church, Church Street, Dublin Holy Trinity Church, Cookstown. County Tyrone College Chapel, St. Patrick's College, Maynooth, County Kildare College Chapel, Clonliffe College, Dublin Ladychapel Church, Maynooth, County Kildare St. Michael's Church, Ballinasloe, County Galway St Patrick's church, Mayobridge St Patricks church Dungannon, Tyrone St. Saviour’s Dominican Church, Dublin (1861) St. Saviour's Dominican Church, Limerick (1870)