Kivas Tully, 1820-1905

By Frank Meehan
Extracted from "Laois Yearbook" 1989

Kivas Tully was born in Garrarucam, Queens County in 1820 the son of Commander John P. Tully of the Royal Navy. Educated locally and later in Limerick where he qualified as an architect. He became a Superintendent under Mr Wilkinson, Architect for the Poor Law Commissioners and later Inspector of Buildings and was responsible for many of the Poor Houses built during the reign of Queen Victoria including Mountmellick and Abbeyleix. In 1844 he emigrated to Canada where he opened his own offices in Toronto. Becoming one of the most sought after architects in Canada. He designed Trinity College, Toronto, the Custom House and the Bank of Montreal, all in Toronto. In Coburgh he designed the Victoria Hall.

In 1867 after the Confederation was formed, he was appointed Architect and Engineer of the Department of Public Works and remained in that position till he retired in 1901. He also designed many of the Mental Hospitals in Canada, the school of Practical Science, Osgood and Government House, Toronto.

He was appointed a delegate of the Deep Water-Ways Convention held in Toronto in 1894. He was twice married, his first wife was Elizabeth Drew of Drewsboro, Co Clare and after her death he married Maria, daughter of Lieut. Col. Strickland, of Lakeland Ontario. He died in Toronto 24th April 1905.

His eldest daughter Sydney Strickland Tully born in Toronto in 1860 educated in Toronto studied Art in London, Paris and New York and was considered one of Canada's greatest painters. She was elected a member of the Royal Canadian Academy. Her paintings were exhibited in Paris, New York and the World Fare at Chicago. She later became famous as a Protrait painter. She became ill with pernicious anaenia and died July 18th 1911 in St Johns Hospital in Toronto.

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