Desmond Fitzgerald (1910-1987)

Desmond Fitzgerald studied at University College Dublin. Very much known for one building – Dublin Airport at Collinstown (1937-1941), Fitzgerald was responsible for other buildings in the city – many of them reviled including O’Connell Bridge House and Department of Justice offices on St Stephens Green. He was responsible for teaching many leading Irish architects as he held the chair of Architecture at UCD from 1951-1969. He was forced to resign the chair in 1969 under pressure from dissatisfied students. His Dublin Airport is one of the most important pre-war buildings in Dublin and was designed and built in near secrecy with its facilities only formally disclosed after the Second World War. It is now usually accepted that much of the design was initiated by members of his staff of the time.

1937 – Dublin Airport, Collinstown, Co. Dublin

Architect: Desmond FitzGerald

The original Dublin airport teminal was the most important pre-war Irish building in the International Style.

1943 – Former Hotel / Hospital, Foynes, Co. Limerick

Architect: Desmond Fitzgerald

The former St. Senan’s Hospital was built by the Government as a hotel accommodation for passengers travelling on the flying boats which passed through Foynes while en-route to America and Continental Europe.

1951 – Cathaleen’s Fall Power Station, Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal

Architect: Desmond Fitzgerald

The Erne Hydro Electric Scheme utilises the natural drop of 45m between the two power stations at Cliff and Cathaleen’s Fall on the River Erne to form the basis for the third-largest hydro operation in the country.