Thomas Cooley

Thomas Cooley (1740–1784) was an English-born Irish architect who came to Dublin from London after winning a competition for the design of Dublin's Royal Exchange in 1768.

Early years

Cooley was born to William, a master mason, and Mary Cooley in London, and was baptised on 11 July 1742. He began his career as a carpenter apprenticeship in 1756 with interest in architecture

Cooley also designed Newgate Prison (demolished 1893), the Royal Hibernian Marine School, and a chapel, all in Dublin. He was appointed "state architect" in 1775. In 1768 he began another public building in the city, but on his death at the age of 44 in Dublin, the project was handed over to Gandon, who completed it, to his own design, as the Four Courts. He designed several buildings in Armagh, including the Archbishop's Palace (now the town hall),

List of buildings designed or built by Cooley

This is an incomplete list of buildings from Cooley:

St Patrick's Cathedral, 1769 – survey Headfort House, 1769–1771 Palace Demesne, Archbishop's Palace – remodelling Royal Hibernian Marine School, 1770–1773 Chapel at Phoenix Park, Royal Hibernian Military School, 1771 Public Library at 43 Abbey Street, Armagh, 1771 Ardbraccan House, 1772–1775 Newgate Prison, Dublin, 1773–1781 The Royal School, Armagh, 1774 Bishop's Palace, Killaloe, 1774 Royal Hospital Kilmainham, 1775–1777 The Four Courts, Inn's Quay - North and west ranges of west courtyard, 1768–1802 Enlargement of the Linenhall, 1784 Lisnadill church, 1772 Armagh gaol, 1780

Personal From 1781 Cooley remained in Ireland (whose name is unknown) in 1779. Through his son, one grandson, Thomas Cooley, was a portrait painter who was born deaf,