Charles James MacCarthy* was born in Ireland on 8 December 1858 and was the son of the architect James Joseph MacCarthy (1817-1882) with whom he was articled in Dublin. He also studied at the Catholic University of Ireland. He commenced independent practice in 1881 and was briefly in partnership with John O'Neill (1828-1883) as O'Neill & MacCarthy in 1882-83. Following the death of his father in 1882, he inherited his practice. In 1893 he was elected the City Architect for Dublin, a position he held until 1921 when he was forced to resign because of ill health. One of his tasks during his time in office was the reconstruction of buildings in Sackville Street, and nearby area in Dublin which had been destroyed or damaged in the Easter Rising of 1916.
MacCarthy was elected a member of the Architectural Association of Ireland (AAI) in 1886, a member of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (MRIAI) in 1884 and a Fellow of the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland (FRIAI) in 1895. He was President of the Architectural Association of Ireland in 1901-02.
He died in London on 16 October 1947. His address at the time of his death was 49 Drayton Gardens, London.
* His surname is sometimes given as McCarthy, however, his gravestone gives his name as MacCarthy as does Who's Who in Architecture 1914, and the England & Wales, National Probate Calendar 1948
City of Dublin Technical Schools; Central Fire Brigade Station, and tares branch stations; three Public Libraries; Coroner's Court; Public Fish Market; upwards of 1,000 artisans' dwellings for the Corporation of Dublin — all in Dublin. [Source: Who's Who in Architecture 1914]
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For a detailed list of architectural projects by Charles James MacCarthy from 1881 to 1920 see the Dictionary of Irish Architects 1720-1940
Directory of British Architects 1834-1914. Compiled by Antonia Brodie, et al. Volume 2: L-Z. London; New York: British Architectural Library, Royal Institute of British Architects/Continuum, 2001
Who's Who in Architecture 1914. London: Technical Journals Ltd, 1914