John Killaly
John Killaly (1776–1832) was the most significant Irish canal engineer working originally for the Grand Canal company and later, as an engineer, under the Directors-General of Inland Navigation.[1]
Career
The name Killaly is rare and associated with the county of
By this time he had become the company's chief with a salary of around £800. On the opening of the canal in 1803 he became an engineer under the Directors-General of Inland Navigation, whilst still receiving a reduced salary from the Grand Canal company until 1810. In 1805, he was sent on a six-week fact finding tour of engineering works in England and Wales, reporting on canals, bridges, docks and rail roads. On his resignation in 1810 the Board recorded that Killaly had 'conducted himself with the most unwearied assiduity and the most perfect and unimpeached integrity' during his service to the company.[1]
Together with
In 1823, he was asked to re-examine his plans for an extension of the Grand Canal to Ballinasloe in County Galway and offered to act as Directing Engineer on condition that his son, Hamilton be appointed as superintending engineer. He used his experience of driving through bogs by driving a drainage channel along the centreline of the canal with similar and interconnecting drains at 25 and 60m on each side with transverse drains. In this way a uniform settlement was achieved over a wide area, avoiding the need for high embankments.[4]
Between 1820 and 1826, Killaly was seconded by the government to deal with some 88 miles of road improvements to provide employment in Clare, parts of Limerick, Galway, Mayo and Roscommon, including numerous bridges. At times he was responsible for more than 9,000 workers in these famine relief schemes. Reporting in 1822, Killaly said "the great destruction of morals and waste of public property which have taken place in the county of Clare from this cause (jobbing) is beyond my power to calculate" and in 1830 he expressed the hope that the presentment system would be eradicated.[2]
Family
In 1799, Killaly married Alicia Hamilton, a daughter of George Hamilton, the owner of the principal flour mill on the Tullamore River. In 1804, Killaly leased the mill property from him at an annual rent of the £300 and moved into the Mill House, with his growing family, which eventually numbered four sons and three daughters. Three of his sons (Hamilton Hartley, Richard Griffith and Benjamin) later graduated from the University of Dublin and two of them became civil engineers like their father.
On his death in 1832 a large memorial was erected by his widow in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.
References
- ^ a b c Ronald Cox (21 March 2005). "John Killaly - Irish Canal Engineer". Papers Presented by the Heritage Society of Engineers Ireland.
- ^ a b Ron Cox (2002). Prof Sir A. Skempton (ed.). "Biographical Dictionary of Civil Engineers". 1, 1500–1830. London, Thomas Telford.
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(help) - ^ Ruth Delaney (2004). Ireland's Inland Waterways. Belfast, Appletree Press.
- ^ B & H Mullins, Transactions ICEI, 1848