1746 – Bishop’s Palace, Waterford
Architect: John Roberts
Designed by local architect John Roberts, this is one of a cluster of his building in the immediate vicinity: City Hall and Christchurch Cathedral being adjacent.
John Roberts (1712-1796)
John Roberts was born in Waterford in 1712. His father was a local builder and although he may have learn some basic skills from him, his formal education is unclear. It is believed that he was partially trained as an architect in London. In 1746 John Roberts was requested by Bishop Richard Chenevix to complete the new Bishop’s Palace. This was his first major work in the city and led to further commissions in Waterford.
In 1785 he built the residence of William Morris, now the Harbour Commissioners’ headquarters and the Chamber of Commerce. In 1787 he was commissioned to build a new Leper Hospital on John’s Hill. Roberts also built the Assembly Rooms on the Mall in 1788, which is now the Theatre Royal and City Hall. Unique to Waterford, both the Catholic and Protestant Cathedrals were designed and constructed by the same architect, Roberts.
1770 – St. Iberius Church, Wexford
Architect: John Roberts
The fine interior is late Georgian, while the front on the Main Street is more stark and subdued,
1779 – Christchurch Cathedral, Waterford
Architect: John Roberts
Designed by local architect John Roberts, this is one of the architectural gems of Waterford. In 1773 the old Norman Gothic Cathedral was demolished after pressure was brought on the local bishop by the City Corporation.
1779 – Tyrone House, Kilcolgan, Co. Galway
Architect: John Roberts
Built for Christopher St George, ‘reputedly to the design of John Roberts, of Waterford’. Described by Rev.
1783 – City Hall, Waterford
Architect: John Roberts
Waterford City Hall was originally built in 1783 as an Assembly Rooms and Theatre. The ground floor was leased to Waterford Corporation until 1813 when the Corporation bought the lease for £3,000.
1785 – Moore Hall, Co. Mayo
Architect: John Roberts
Also known as Moorehall, the house was constructed between 1792 and 1795. The Moores were originally an English Protestant family but some became Catholic when John Moore married the Catholic Jane Lynch Athy of Galway,
1790 – St. John the Baptist’s Church, Cashel, Co. Tipperary
Architect: John Roberts / Walter G. Doolin
Designed by John Roberts the original structure of this church dates from the late-eighteenth century while the tympanum and other so-called embellishments were added by W.G Doolin in 1890.
1790s – Curraghmore, Portlaw, Co. Waterford
Architect: James Wyatt / John Roberts / Samuel Ussher Roberts
In the late eighteenth century, the 2nd Earl, afterwards 1st Marquis of Waterford,
State shelves plan to buy historic Galway house linked with Yeats and Betjeman
A State plan to buy an 18th century south Galway house associated with WB Yeats and Sir John Betjeman appears to have been dropped in spite of commitments given by three Government ministers.
