Raymond McGrath facts for kids

Raymond McGrath (born March 7, 1903 – died December 23, 1977) was a talented architect, artist, and interior designer from Australia. He spent most of his career in Ireland, where he was the main architect for government buildings. He helped design many important places and artworks.

Raymond McGrath: A Creative Architect

Early Life and Education

Raymond McGrath was born in Gladesville, New South Wales, Australia. From a young age, he showed a strong interest in art and design. He went to school in Sydney and later studied at Sydney University. There, he focused on architecture, which is the art of designing buildings. He also took painting classes at the Julian Ashton School, showing his wide range of artistic skills.

In 1924, Raymond published a special book of woodcut pictures and poems called The Seven Songs of Meadow Lane. After finishing university in 1926 with top honors, he won a scholarship that allowed him to travel and study in London.

Designing in London

The scholarship took Raymond to London, where he continued his studies at the Westminster School of Art. He also spent time at Clare College, Cambridge, a famous university. While there, he got a chance to redecorate a large Victorian house called Finella. He used bold, modern ideas, like copper doors, an aluminum bathroom, and mirrored ceilings!

In 1930, Raymond started his own design business in London. One of his first big jobs was to design the inside of Broadcasting House, a famous building in London. He also designed airplane interiors for Imperial Airways, showing how his skills could be used in many different ways.

Raymond was very interested in using glass in buildings and decorations. He wrote many articles about it and even published an important book in 1937 called Glass in Architecture and Decoration. You can still see some of his beautiful etched glass doors at the Royal Institute of British Architects headquarters in London. In 1936, he designed his own unique circular house called St Ann's Court in Chertsey.

Art During Wartime

Training - Aircraft Under Construction (1940) (Art.IWM ART LD65)

When World War Two began, Raymond McGrath wanted to help. He suggested creating drawings about how airplanes were made during the war. He visited several aircraft factories and drew pictures of the planes being built. These drawings showed the important work happening to support the war effort. Some of his aircraft paintings were even shown in a big art exhibition in New York in 1941.

Building Ireland's Future

In 1940, Raymond moved to Dublin, Ireland, to become a Senior Architect for the Office of Public Works. This meant he was in charge of designing and overseeing government buildings. By 1948, he became the Principal Architect, a very important role he held until 1968.

Raymond wanted to give Ireland's state buildings a special look. He used beautiful Irish materials like wool carpets, Waterford glass chandeliers, and Irish silk hangings. He also used his knowledge of old Irish architecture to add elegant touches like 18th-century fireplaces. He made sure that the design of each building, both inside and out, was carefully planned and coordinated.

Crafting Unique Interiors

In the early 1950s, Raymond started designing special carpets for government buildings. These unique carpets were made by hand from pure wool at Donegal Carpets in Killybegs, Ireland. They were installed in public buildings across Ireland and in Irish embassies around the world. He particularly enjoyed working on the Irish Embassy in Paris and later the new embassy building in Washington, D.C. His support helped the Donegal Carpets company continue its traditional craft, even during tough times.

Restoring Dublin Castle

One of Raymond McGrath's biggest projects in Dublin was the restoration of Dublin Castle. This huge job started in the late 1950s and continued for many years. He also designed the Royal Hibernian Academy building in Dublin. He became a full member of the Academy in 1967 and later became their professor of Architecture.

For many years, Raymond also worked on plans for a National Concert Hall for Ireland. Although the project faced many challenges and was eventually canceled, it showed his dedication to improving Ireland's cultural spaces. Raymond McGrath passed away in Dublin in 1977 at the age of 74, leaving behind a legacy of beautiful and important designs.