James Franklin Fuller facts for kids
James Franklin Fuller (born 1835, died 1924) was a talented person from Ireland. He was an actor, an architect (someone who designs buildings), and a writer.
Life Story
James Franklin Fuller was born in Nedanone, County Kerry, Ireland. His father was Thomas Harnett Fuller. James studied in Blackrock, County Cork, and Dublin.
In 1850, he moved to London. There, he became a qualified architect. Later, he moved to Manchester.
In 1862, James became a district architect for the Board of Ecclesiastical Commissioners in Ireland. This group looked after church buildings. In 1869, the Church of Ireland changed its structure. After this, James started his own architecture business in Dublin.
Just two years later, he became the main architect for the Representative Church Body. Soon after, he also became the architect for St. Patrick's Cathedral in Dublin. He worked for several other important places too.
James ran a very busy architectural business. He designed many churches and public buildings. He also created large homes around County Kerry. He designed Kylemore Abbey in Connemara in the 1860s. A few years later, he designed the beautiful neo-Gothic church next to it. This church is famous around the world.
During the 1890s, a young architect named George F. Beckett worked with him.
Besides his architecture, James also wrote books. Some of his novels include Culmshire Folk (1873) and John Orlebar, Clerk (1878). He also wrote many articles about history and family trees.
Interestingly, he was the great-grandfather of a famous actress named Peggy Cummins.
His Famous Buildings
Here are some of the well-known buildings James Franklin Fuller designed or helped to redesign:
| Building Name | Year Finished | Where It Is | What He Did | Picture |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kylemore Castle | 1868-1875, 1878-1884 | Connemara, County Galway, Republic of Ireland | James Franklin Fuller designed this castle. It has a special neo-Gothic style. |  |
| Derreen House and Gardens | 1871-1873 | Near Kenmare, County Kerry, Republic of Ireland. | This house was built much earlier. James Franklin Fuller updated and changed its design. |  |
| Ashford Castle | 1875-1881 | Near Cong, County Galway, Republic of Ireland | He rebuilt parts of this old medieval castle. He gave it a Victorian look. |  |
| Farmleigh House | 1881-1884 | Castleknock, Dublin, Republic of Ireland | This was a small house from the 1700s. James Franklin Fuller led a big project to make it much larger and grander. |  |
| St Catherine's Church | 1885 | Thomas Street, Dublin, Republic of Ireland | He changed the inside of the church. He moved the pulpit and removed some old seating. |  |
| Dromquinna House | Around 1890 | Templenoe, County Kerry, Republic of Ireland | He built this large manor house for a person named John Colomb. | |
| Kenmare Hotel (now Park Hotel Kenmare) | 1894 | Kenmare, County Kerry, Republic of Ireland | He designed and built this hotel for a railway company. | |
| Parknasilla Hotel | 1894 | Sneem, County Kerry, Republic of Ireland | He also built this hotel for the same railway company. |
