The team outside their offices (from left): Iana Kuzmych, David Cullivan, Kathleen King and Anna Fleres, back, Shane Smith, Andrew O’Neill, Clint McCourt and Roland Osits. Missing from photo: Rita Phair

Another award for Cavan architects

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Cavan based firm, Gaffney & Cullivan Architects Ltd (GCAL), has picked up a third award for the Castleblayney Library and Public Realm project, which was initiated by Monaghan County Council.

The announcement took place at the Royal Institute of Architects of Ireland (RIAI) Awards in the National Art Gallery on Friday, June 21.

From 180 original entries, shortlisted to 42, the project was placed second overall in the RIAI Public Choice Awards for 2024. Having already won first place at both the Building and Architect of the Year Awards (BAYA) and the Irish Construction Excellence Awards (ICE), the company’s project team led by David Cullivan, conservation architect of GCAL, completed a hat-trick of recognitions from the industry for this project.

The whole GCAL team celebrated outside their Farnham Street offices complete with a selection of the awards earlier this week.

Speaking to The Anglo-Celt, Mr Cullivan said the restoration of a public building is what garnered the public’s attention. He also highlighted how the project experienced massive delays due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“We were appointed in 2017 and were at tender stage when COVID-19 hit so that was a challenge for us,” he outlined. There were other challenges too but the team overcame them.

“The building would have been very damaged by fire. The roof collapsed and the water had poured into the building and it took a long time for us to actually get in and survey the damage. It also took a lot of courage on the part of Monaghan County Council to proceed with the project and we are all delighted with the outcome,” said Mr Cullivan.

The firm Gaffney & Cullivan Architects LTD are no strangers to awards. The company secured an accolade for the Cootehill Library building and was also the recipient of an EU award for the Patrick Kavanagh Visitors Centre in Inniskeen. The latest awards have become the icing on the cake.

“We have been very successful and everyone in the office is absolutely delighted,” Mr Cullivan concluded.

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