Background
Cooley was born to William and Mary Cooley in London and began his career as a carpenter apprenticeship in 1756 with interest in architecture.
Cooley was born to William and Mary Cooley in London and began his career as a carpenter apprenticeship in 1756 with interest in architecture.
Cooley worked as a draughtsman and clerk to the architect and engineer Robert Mylne (1733–1810), while the latter was building Blackfriars Bridge in London, between 1761 and 1769. The design shows the influence of Mylne"s work, which in turn derived from French neoclassical architecture. Arriving in Ireland in 1781, Cooley built several public buildings in Dublin in the neoclassical style.
Together with James Gandon (1743–1823), Cooley was part of a small school of architects influenced by Sir William Chambers (1723–1796).
Cooley also designed Newgate Prison (demolished 1893), the Marine School, and a chapel, all in Dublin. In 1781 he began another public building in the city, but on his death at the age of 44 in Dublin, the project was handed over to Gandon, who completed it, to his own design, as the Four Courts.
Outside Dublin, Cooley built a number of country houses including Caledon (1779), for James Alexander, later Earl of Caledon. He designed several buildings in Armagh, including the Archbishop"s Palace (now the town hall), and the public library.
This is an incomplete list of buildings from Cooley:
Saint Patrick"s Cathedral 1769
Headfort 1769-1771
Palace Demesne, Archbishop"s Palace - remodelling
Sir Rogerson"s Quay-Hibernian Marine School 1770-1773
Chapel at Phonenix Park, Royal Hibernian Military School 1771
Abbey Street Public Library 1771
Ardbraccan 1772-1775
Newgate Prison 1773-1781
Royal School, College Hill 1774
Bishop"s Palace, Killaloe 1774
Royal Hospital, South Kilmainham 1775-1777
The Four Courts, Inn"s Quay 1768-1802
From 1781 Cooley remained in Ireland for the rest of his life.
