Thomas Duff facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Thomas Duff
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St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh
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| Born | 1792 Newry, County Down, Kingdom of Ireland
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| Died | 1848 Newry, County Down, Ireland, UK
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| Occupation | Architect |
| Buildings | St. Patricks Cathedral, Armagh Newry Cathedral |
Thomas John Duff (1792–1848) was an Irish architect from Newry, County Down. He was a very important architect who designed many Roman Catholic churches and cathedrals in the northeast of Ireland.
His famous buildings include three churches named after St. Patrick: St. Patrick's Church, Dundalk (which looked like King's College Chapel, Cambridge); Cathedral Church of St. Patrick and St. Colman, Newry; and Saint Patrick's Cathedral in Armagh city. Thomas Duff also designed St. Patrick's School in Belfast. This was the city's first National School. It is thought to be the last building left in Belfast built in the Gothic Revival style. He also designed the museum for the Belfast Natural History Society.
Contents
Newry Cathedral: A Grand Design
The cathedral in Newry is officially called the Cathedral Church of St. Patrick and St. Colman. It was built between 1823 and 1829. This was the first Catholic church built after Catholic Emancipation. This was a time when Catholics in Ireland gained more rights.
People at the time thought this cathedral was amazing. One guidebook said it was "among the finest public buildings in Ireland." It showed how talented Mr. Duff was. It also showed that people in Ireland were smart to hire an architect from their own country.
St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh
Work on St. Patrick's Cathedral in Armagh started in 1840. But building had to stop because of the Great Famine. This was a very difficult time in Ireland when many people did not have enough food.
Thomas Duff passed away before the building work started again in 1854. Another architect, James Joseph McCarthy, took over. He finished the cathedral in a different style. Duff preferred a 16th-century Gothic style. McCarthy used a more detailed Gothic style. This means the lower part of the cathedral looks one way, and the upper part looks another. This is sometimes seen in very old Gothic churches.
St. Patrick's Church, Dundalk
St. Patrick's Church, Dundalk was also being built when Thomas Duff died. James Joseph McCarthy also completed this church.
Dundalk Presbyterian Church
The Presbyterian Church on Jocelyn Street in Dundalk opened in 1839. The land for the church was rented from a local landlord.
This church was designed by Thomas Duff. It is a small, four-sided building with a pointed roof. It uses a style called Tudor-Gothic. This style mixes Tudor and Gothic features. It fits well with the Methodist church across the street.
Like Duff's St. Patrick's Church nearby, this building has pointed windows at each end. It also has arched entrances and tall, pointed decorations called pinnacles. These are on the buttresses that support the walls. The church is made of brownish granite stone.
Inside, there is a small entrance area. This leads into the main church hall. The inside is very pretty. It has a curved, U-shaped wooden balcony. This balcony is held up by special cast-iron columns. The ceiling has decorative wooden beams and flower shapes.
The style of the church is called 'Tudor-Gothic Revival'. 'Gothic Revival' was a popular style in the 1800s. It brought back features like pointed arches, flying buttresses, and spires. You can see pointed arches over the doors and windows of this church. It also has strong, supported walls with pinnacles. The 'Tudor' part of the style mostly refers to the inside of the church. Tudor architecture often had windows with vertical bars, wooden walls, and comfortable furniture. So, this church combines both these older styles in a new way.
