George Coppinger Ashlin [commonly known as George C. Ashlin, George Ashlin, and as G.C. Ashlin] was born in County Cork, Ireland on 28 May 1837 and was a pupil of Edward Welby Pugin (1834-1875) from 1856 to 1860. He also attended the Royal Academy Schools from 1858 to 1860.
From 1860 to 1869 he was in partnership with E. W. Pugin; with Cuthbert Welby Pugin (1840 to 1928) from 1875 to c.1880; and with Thomas A. Coleman (?-1950) from 1902 to 1921. Ashlin's association with the Pugin family was cemented when in 1867 he married Mary Pugin (1844-1933), the daughter of Augustus Welby Northmore Pugin (1812-1852).
Ashlin worked almost exclusively as a church architect. During his long career he designed some 60 churches as well as a number of cathedrals, convents and seminaries throughout Ireland.
Ashlin was elected a Fellow of the Royal Institute of British Architects (FRIBA) in 1899. He died in Killiney, Co. Dublin on 10 December 1921. A biographical file on George Coppinger Ashlin is available on request from the Enquiry Desk, RIBA Library, London
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 1: A-K. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001
‘St Colman's Cathedral, Cobh, Co. Cork: E.W. Pugin and George Ashlin, 1867.’ Architecture Ireland no. 311, May/June 2020 p. 116.