George Dempsey (teacher) explained

George Dempsey (1854 – 29 June 1924) born in the parish of St. Mary's, Dublin was a teacher of English at Belvedere College, Dublin, Ireland, who taught English to the writer James Joyce and later the poet Austin Clarke during the time they attended the Jesuit school.[1] At the same time he ran a grocer's shop and post office at 13 Dunville Ave, Rathmines.[2] The character of Mr. Tate in Joyce's novels A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and Stephen Hero is based on George Dempsey.[3] George Dempsey died at 13 Dunville Avenue at the age of 70.

An annual prize in memory of Dempsey is awarded each year at Belvedere College to a student who has excelled in English writing.

Notes and References

  1. Critical companion to James Joyce: a literary reference to his life and work, by A. Nicholas Fargnoli and Michael Patrick Gillespie.
  2. http://humphrysfamilytree.com/Flanagan/dempsey.html HumphrysFamilyTree.com
  3. See also the contribution entitled "Heresy in his Essay" in Portraits: Belvedere College Dublin 1832-1982, pub. Gill & MacMillan, 1982, Ed. John Bowman & Ronan O'Donoghue