George Semple (c. 1700 – 13 April 1782) was a notable Irish builder and

architect An architect is a person who plans, designs, and oversees the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to provide services in connection with the design of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the buildings that h ...

Life

His earliest known work is the steeple, in height, of

St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin Saint Patrick's Cathedral () in Dublin, Ireland is the national cathedral of the Church of Ireland. Christ Church Cathedral, also a Church of Ireland cathedral in Dublin, is designated as the local cathedral of the Diocese of Dublin and Glen ...

, which he designed and erected in 1749. He also built St Patrick's Hospital (1749–57), which was founded in 1747 with money bequeathed by

Jonathan Swift Jonathan Swift (30 November 1667 – 19 October 1745) was an Anglo-Irish writer, essayist, satirist, and Anglican cleric. In 1713, he became the Dean (Christianity), dean of St Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin, and was given the sobriquet "Dean Swi ...

following his death in 1745. His best known work was Essex Bridge across the

River Liffey The River Liffey (Irish language, Irish: ''An Life'', historically ''An Ruirthe(a)ch'') is a river in eastern Ireland that ultimately flows through the centre of Dublin to its mouth within Dublin Bay. Its major Tributary, tributaries include t ...

(now

Grattan Bridge Grattan Bridge () is a road bridge spanning the River Liffey in Dublin, Ireland, and joining Capel Street to Parliament Street, Dublin, Parliament Street and the Dublin quays, south quays. History 1st Essex bridge of 1676 The first bridge on t ...

). This was begun in 1752, and completed in 1754, and was considered one of the best bridges in Ireland. The government awarded him £500 for his efforts. Essex Bridge was taken down in 1872 and replaced by the present Grattan Bridge, leading from Parliament Street to Capel Street. Semple later wrote a book, ''Treatise on Building in Water'', first published in 1776, which was based on this project. He constructed

Headfort House Headfort House is a large country house on the southern outskirts of Kells, County Meath, Kells in County Meath, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. History The house was constructed in the 1760s for Thomas Taylour, 1st Earl of Bective, The 1st Ear ...

in the 1760s for Sir Thomas Taylour, later 1st Earl of Bective (1724–1795) (see

Marquess of Headfort Marquess of Headfort is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1800 for Thomas Taylour, 2nd Earl of Bective. The Marquess holds the subsidiary titles of Earl of Bective (1766), Viscount Headfort (1762), Baron Headfort, of Headfo ...

). It lies above the River Blackwater, a tributary of the River Boyne, just outside the early ecclesiastical town of Kells in the northwest of

County Meath County Meath ( ; or simply , ) is a Counties of Ireland, county in the Eastern and Midland Region of Republic of Ireland, Ireland, within the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster. It is bordered by County Dublin to the southeast, County ...

. In the 1760's he also constructed the bridge over the River Barrow at

Graiguenamanagh Graiguenamanagh or Graignamanagh () is a town on the River Barrow in County Kilkenny, Ireland. Part of the settlement, known as Tinnahinch, is on the County Carlow side of the river, and Carlow County Council refers to the whole village as "Grai ...

County Kilkenny County Kilkenny () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. It is named after the City status in Ir ...

and others within the same Kilkenny.De Breffny, pg. 216. Graiguenamanagh Bridge - geograph

In 1777 Semple was living in

Queen Street, Dublin Queen Street ( Irish: ''Sráid na Banríona'') is a street in Dublin running from North King Street to Arran Quay. Location Queen Street runs from Arran Quay and Mellows Bridge at the south to North King Street to the north. It intersects ...

, where he died late in 1781 or early in 1782.

References

;Attribution * 1700 births 1782 deaths Architects from Dublin (city) 18th-century Irish architects {{ireland-architect-stub