Career
He was a council member for the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland from 1842 to 1849, and vice president from 1849 until his death. Differing views of his designs and success of his practice were raised. Farrell “was one of several architects to be attacked in the satirical poem, ‘An Essay on the Rise and Progress of Architectural Taste in Dublin…by Nicolson Numskull, Esq.’ which was published in 1832: ‘With rosy gills - round as a little barrel, A first fruits architect - see Billy F-rr-ll, Who thrives and fattens on anothers brains, He toils and labours - Billy counts the gains.’”
Arthur Thomas Farrell, another son, attended Trinity College, Dublin in 1830.
A number of prominent Irish architects received their early training in his offices.
In the 1830s, it is thought that James Joseph McCarthy (1817–1882), architect of among other works the Roman Catholic Saint Macartan’s Cathedral, Monaghan (1861–1892), apprenticed at Farrell’s office. Other apprentices included Sinclair Bates in 1809, John Louch in 1813, Parke Neville, and Sandham Symes.
