All the projects. In one blog post. 1-90+

I’ve been thinking about the projects I’ve undertaken since moving to Ireland and this post is to document all of them.

A few points to note:

  • I’ve done my best with the sequence but it’s easy to lose track so I’ve done my best on this! I’ll try and split them into rough years.
  • These are only the Ireland projects; I’ve done a stack in the UK before moving here but these are omitted here
  • They don’t include unbuilt projects or those that have been handed over to someone else & I’ve lost contact (there are a stack of those)
  • I’ll give a short, single-line description
  • I’ll be using mostly my own photos but where I haven’t got time – I’ll steal a StreetView image from Google
  • This blog post is going to keep running
  • They’re not all perfect; I liken working as an architect to working as an actor – Michael Caine had to do a few ‘Jaws-4’ but every now and then there’s an ‘Educating Rita’
  • Also some of the photos aren’t perfect; I’ve had to rack my brain to find piccies from Flickr, IG etc…
  • This post is in the context of that when we arrived into Ireland from the UK in 2003 I was definite that I wouldn’t be working as an architect here! Guess you should never say never

    So here we go…

    2005 onwards…


    1. First experience of working with an Irish cottage; lots I’d do differently but hey I had to start somewhere. This is also pre-registration as RIAI architect

    Our house (early on) in snow


    2. The project that started it all. Our own house

    Barn style extension & refurbishment to traditional cottage

    Barn style extension & refurbishment to traditional cottage


    3. Now several owners later – this project still gets traction and helps getting new work

    Rear Extension & refurbishment to Ballycastle Cottage

    Rear Extension & refurbishment to Ballycastle Cottage


    4. Haven’t been out to see this in a long while!

    4000+ sq ft house - Hollymount Co. Mayo

    4000+ sq ft house – Hollymount Co. Mayo


    5. Almost forgot to add this one in – everyday I remember one to add to list

    Sligo House

    Asymmetric pitch 1 1/2 storey courtyard house


    6. Probably the first high insulation, airtight house with MHVR, triple glazing, A rated house we did

    Knockmore House

    1 1/2 storey passive in nature house


    7. Again nearly missed this one from the archives. Mix of traditional white render and cedar

    My double pitched roof

    My double pitched roof


    8. Now sold to lovely new neighbours, originally redesigned & constructed for another neighbour! (who still is a neighbour my OH goes walking with each day)

    Irish cottage refurbishment/extension

    Contemporary extension to traditional cottage with curved walls.


    9. Can you see the references to Ronchamp here? Met with client last week & still happy

    Swinford Cottage Exterior

    Swinford Cottage Exterior, Garage & Cobblers Cottage


    10. Still see the clients on this project, another well insulated house and one of the first with airtight tape on openings etc…

    Contemporary extension

    Contemporary, stepped, glazed corner extension to previously extended bungalow


    11. You can see the Dermot Bannon influence here at finding my feet in Ireland!

    Rear extension and new kitchen

    Rear extension, new kitchen and ground floor remodelling following initial Simon Consultation


    12. I also did some Simon consultations and this kitchen was the result of one

    View from rear

    The square footage of the existing house has been increased by over 200% but the extensions understand the scale and proportion of the existing house. They are not trying to be identical; just showing a little politeness to the existing cottage.

    Approach to house

    This shows the approach to the house, the central section is the existing and the parts to left and right are new.

    13. Should really go back to this one and get some good photos; shows a departure into real architecture, working with an existing building & pushed to limit with planning & construction – this is what it looked like before we started


    14. A favour to family member – straightforward & definitely #Mayo


    15. A double pitched house near Westport – drove past it a little while back & has been remodelled a bit since

    16. A large extension and refurbishment to this property in Co. Galway

    17. One of my favourites with exceptional clients. You can see the modernism wanting to come out here!

    18. I did promise no unbuilt projects but hey – this was in the papers as one of the best un-built due to the Celtic Tiger!

    Total view

    19. Great forms in this one; truly Mayo but contemporary

    20. Nearly forgot this one; one of the few houses I did for developers

    21. Nearly forgot this one too; refurbishment & large extension to traditional 2 storey Irish farmhouse

    22. I should definitely go back and see this one again; contemporary extension to traditional Irish cottage near the sea

    View of curved walls & ‘barges’ from rear


    23. Double extension, one end with curved walls, the other with a curved roof!


    24. Unusual for me to do a house effectively in an estate (albeit a very fancy one); this one in Co. Galway


    25. A good distance from me in Co. Clare. Here’s the rendered image plus it completed. Very Dermot Bannon again!


    26. I’m really hoping this one got finished. My first foray into linked forms


    27. 2 storey with linked contemporary ‘pavilion’ at rear


    28. Our own office. Practically derelict when we took it on

    Exterior – AFTER


    29. Refurbishment of cottage in Co. Sligo

    The existing cottage

    Cottage restoration & extension


    30. Before and after of restoration of very small cottage with extension for family (lovely clients too!)

    Interior showing new media wall & sitting area

    Interior showing extension to rear with extensive glazing, access to garden & rooflights

    Exterior of new extension

    31. Rare to be this far from home too – contemporary extension to house in Dublin


    32, 33 & 34 – Rare for me to do public sector work – this was for 3 extensions to city projects

    The Chalet as it was prior to our interventions

    The ‘Chalet’ AFTER

    35. Restoration, refurbishment & repurposing of The Chalet at Ard na Gaoithe – again a rarity of public sector work for Galway County Council

    36. Sligo cottage restoration and extension

    37. Double extension to house in Co. Mayo in (nice) estate

    38. Irish cottage restoration and extension – this was in a real state

    39. More of a refurbishment with external insulation, floors, windows etc… You can see the state of the original by looking at the house next door!

    PHPP double checked house in Mayo – article in Passive House + Mag

    40. The PHPP double-checked Passive House (Passivhaus) near Castlebar, Co. Mayo. Image was from when it was featured in Passive House + magazine

    41. Another rarity, commercial project for new Intreo office in Swinford – design and fit out

    42. And another rarity! An office fit out in Claremorris

    43. House outside Ballina, Co. Mayo

    44. Conservation report & services for Dromahair ‘Millers House’ (Protected Structure) in association with Eugene O’Neill Architects

    44 & 45. 2 projects in Gurteen, Co. Sligo; need to go back to the one below to get some better photos (finished in lockdown). Photo shows extensions & refurbishment + new porch. No photo yet of Design + Planning on 2nd Gurteen project…

    46. Markree Castle Courtyard – Conservation report & services (Protected Structure) in association with Eugene O’Neill Architects

    47. Conservation report & services for grant applications on windows & thermal improvements

    48. Should go back to this one too to get some better photos. Again finished in lockdown. Long convoluted story of owners, design & planning

    49. Contemporary extension to traditional thatched cottage in Mayo

    Completed house – Mayo

    50. Mayo Rural House design that fits the guidelines well in forest


    51. One of my favourites & great clients – will hadd a link to sepparete post HERE


    52. Experimenting here with colliding forms


    53. This is what happens when you ask an architect to do a sun room


    54. This was in conjunction with Scandanavian Homes – low energy timber frame build


    55. Mayo extension


    56. Over the hill from us on this extension to hipped Irish cottage


    57. Contemporary extension to Westport terraced house

    Original Cottage – BEFORE


    58. Before & After on this extension to Irish cottage

    House – BEFORE. (Google streetView)

    Upper level. Photography by Tony Healy

    The thatch reinstated. Photography by Tony Healy


    59. Before & After on this contemporary extension & restoration of Balscadden thatched protected structure/cottage

    Roof on main building front complete


    60. Ongoing project of the restoration of Ballyglass Lighthouse keepers cottage

    Completed house – Mayo


    61. Exceptional clients & site for this very contemporary yet traditional new Mayo house in Belmullet


    63. Nerve-wracking but wow to the end result to this contemporary & delicate extension to cottage near Louisburgh


    65. Computer visual and end result to this Castlerea new house self-build in Co. Roscommon

    Exterior – rear


    66. Deep retrofit on this refurbishment & extension to traditional Irish cottage


    67. Double pitched, rain chained extension to house in Co. Mayo which includes 3x extensions

    View down from mezzanine to kitchen


    68. Interiors & construction only on this single storey new house near Straide, Co. Mayo


    69. One of a few small, glazed kitchen extensions – this one in Ballina


    70. Similar to 69. This one instead in Castlebar



    71. Very contemporary extension to traditional 3 storey farmhouse in Beltra, Co. Sligo


    72. No names,no pack drill on this secret project for an artist’s studio
    Here’s the animation we did at sketch design stage:


    73. We’re frequently asked to undertake Conservation reports for planning & grant application purposes; this is one of several as an example – the Saw mill that was at Lissadell House, County Sligo


    74. This courtyard style house is now finished – need to revisit


    75. This is very close to our house, deep retrofit of existing cottage with external insulation, new windows etc…


    76. We build stacks of sheds but this one is special; a. it’s ours and b. There’s not many sedum grassed roofs in Co. Mayo; this and the intensive grass roof on our house are 2 examples

    The photo below shows what happens when you over fertilise – gorgeous!

    I also won a competition for ‘Best Selfie on a grass roof’!:


    77. Didn’t do a lot on this Irish Cottage, just some remedial work, insulation, new window etc…


    78. Very classical and exceptional finish – not my usual style but very classy (new house – not a restoration!)

    79. Not designed by us but we undertook construction drawings & inspections. Another Covid lockdown project that I need to go back to get current photos

    80. Image to follow – new house in Co. Mayo


    81. A planning non-exempt extension that opens a can of worms on septic tanks… I remember helping the builder get similar tiles from DoneDeal on this one!


    82. A planning exempt extension. <40m2 at the rear and a 2m2 porch - taking exemption to the max (some of the existing house is render)


    83. Very little work done on this one; a few drawings at the beginning but what a transformation of before & after that the clients have undertaken


    84. Another lockdown project that I popped back to recently; kitchen extension + utility : tricky build


    85. Another kitchen extension done a good while back; Kitchen by https://www.conroyfurniture.com/

    86-90 These 4 are reserved for projects I’m not going to show here. Great designs or restoration but for whatever reason the clients were more than difficult & I’d rather forget the projects!

    91. Showing a couple well on the way. A mix of styles in this house in Swinford. Special thanks to Brian Forkan (Contractor)

    92. Well on the way with this low energy build near Mayo Abbey – special thanks to New Era Homes (Contractor)

    93. Just design and planning on this one. Another Covid Pandemic project; progressing well & end in site!

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