Thomas Duff

Thomas Duff
St. Patrick's Cathedral, Armagh
Born	1792 Newry, County Down, Kingdom of Ireland
Died	1848 Newry, County Down, Ireland, UK
Occupation	Architect
Buildings	St. Patricks Cathedral, Armagh

Thomas John Duff (1792–1848) was an Irish architect from the town (now city) of Newry, County Down. Duff was the principal architect of a number of Roman Catholic churches and cathedrals in the northeast of Ireland.

His work included three churches dedicated to St.Patrick: St. Patrick's Pro-Cathedral, Dundalk (modelled on King's College Chapel, Cambridge); the Cathedral Church of St. Patrick and St. Colman, Newry, and Saint Patrick's Cathedral in Armagh city. Duff also designed St. Patrick's School in Belfast, the city's first National School and believed to be the last remaining Gothic Revival building in Belfast and the museum of the Belfast Natural History Society

The cathedral in Newry was constructed between 1823 and 1829, and was the first Catholic church to be erected following Catholic Emancipation. The cathedral was described by a contemporary guide book in glowing terms: "This edifice may be ranked among the finest public buildings in Ireland, and is another enduring monument of the genius of Mr. Duff, who has studded the north of the kingdom, as it were, with evidence of his own ability, and of the good sense of his countrymen in employing a native artist."

The construction of St. Patrick's in Armagh began in 1840, but was suspended due to the intervention of the famine. Duff had died by the time construction resumed in 1854, the project being completed by J.J. McCarthy who finished the project in a decorated gothic style as opposed to the 16th century gothic preferred by Duff. This led to the situation, more familiar in genuine Gothic churches, whereby the cathedral was constructed in one style up to the aisles and a different style above this point.