Second National Museum of Ireland Competition

After a public furore over the results of the original architectural competition in which R. Knill Freeman was premiated, a second competition was held.

“The committee who were entrusted with the examination of the designs for the National Museum and Library in Dublin have not taken much time to arrive at a decision. The members, with one exception, were Irishmen. Lord Powerscourt, Sir Robert Kane, and Mr. John McCurdy were on the former committee, and the remaining members were Mr. Dawson, Lord Mayor of Dublin; Sir William Gregory, formerly Governor of Ceylon, whose exertions for the preservation of Arab art are well known; Colonel Nolan, R.A.; and Lieutenant Colonel Festing, of the Science and Art Department. In this trial the Irish architects have been fortunate. Out of the five designs selected, three have been prepared by architects who are resident in Dublin viz. (1) Messrs. Thomas N. Deane & Son, (2) Mr. Thomas Drew and Mr. W. M. Mitchell, (3) Messrs. Millar & Symes. The remaining designs selected are by Mr. Owen Williams, of Bangor, and Mr. Frank Holme, of Liverpool. But we give the names with some reserve, for their accuracy has been doubted, and as yet there has been no official announcement of the results of the first stage in the competition.” The Architect, December 1 1883