Michael O'Donohue (1835 – December 19, 1912) was an Irish-American builder and architect from

Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the List of capitals in the United States, capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The city, located in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, had a population of 121,054 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ce ...

who designed a number of ecclesiastical buildings in New England for both Roman Catholic and Jewish clients.

Early life and career

O'Donohue was born in 1835 Ireland and immigrated to America in 1872. Little is known of his life before his relocated to Hartford.

Architectural practice

In 1890 he moved to

where he established an architectural practice under his own name. He carried on an active business as a designer of Catholic churches in the Gothic Revival style. O'Donohue is one of the few architects of Catholic churches to have also built for non-Catholic clients as well. He died at his home in Hartford on December 19, 1912.

Legacy

O'Donohue is not as significant a figure in 19th century American Catholic architecture as his fellow countrymen and contemporaries Patrick. C Keely, James Murphy, or Patrick W. Ford. Nonetheless his work is appreciated today and several of his buildings have been selected to National Registers.

Works

Connecticut

* Our Lady of Sorrows School,

* Ados Israel Synagogue,

* LaSalette Seminary,

(Central portion of present building, wings added by O'Connell and Shaw) * Former Immaculate Conception Church,

* St. Ann Church,

(replaced by present building by Henry F. Ludorf) * St. Anthony of Padua Church,

Litchfield, Connecticut Litchfield is a town in and former county seat of Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 8,192 at the 2020 census. The town is part of the Northwest Hills Planning Region. The boroughs of Bantam and Litchfield are ...

(burned 1944, replaced by Oliver Reagan) * St. Mary Rectory,

New Britain, Connecticut New Britain is a city in Hartford County, Connecticut, Hartford County, Connecticut, United States. It is located approximately southwest of Hartford, Connecticut, Hartford. The city is part of the Capitol Planning Region, Connecticut, Capitol ...

(church by Patrick. C. Keely) * St. Mary Church, Union City, Connecticut * Sacred Heart Church,

(first church, later completed by George A. Zunner) * St. Peter Church,

* St. Mary's Parochial School (1888 section) Windsor Locks, CT

New York

* St Francis DeSales Church,

Phoenicia, New York Phoenicia is a Hamlet (New York), hamlet (and census-designated place) of Shandaken, New York, Shandaken in Ulster County, New York, Ulster County, New York (state), New York, United States. The population was 268 at the 2020 United States census, ...

St. Francis DeSales website
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Rhode Island

* Unnamed church,

Providence, Rhode Island Providence () is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Rhode Island, most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. The county seat of Providence County, Rhode Island, Providence County, it is o ...

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Odonohue, Michael 1835 births 1912 deaths 19th-century Irish architects 20th-century Irish architects Architects from Hartford, Connecticut 19th-century American architects Irish emigrants to the United States American ecclesiastical architects Architects of Roman Catholic churches