Dempsey

• References:
  • Freemans Journal, Sat 12 July 1924, p.8. Text of Vaughan Dempsey's WWI memorial speech in Paris.

1. Vaughan Dempsey,
   Vaughan B. Dempsey, Irish-Australian, Catholic,
   born 1895, Orange, NSW, Australia,
   he was youngest child, his parents had died by 1907, him age 12 (though he had grown-up siblings and other family),
   he was educ in Ireland, B.A. and M.A. degrees at N.U.I. Jan 1922,
   he was Irish consul to France, lived Paris,
   in Feb 1922 he was secretary to the Irish Delegation to France,
   in 1923 he was appointed Head of Mission to France, listed as "the representative of Saorstat Eireann in France",

   he gave an address to Irish WWI veterans and their WWI allies at grave of France's Unknown Soldier, Paris, Thur 10 July 1924,
   the British military were also present at this friendly event, despite the recent Anglo-Irish war, Dempsey referred to them in his speech to the Irish veterans: "Having fought, what greater ambition could you now put before yourself than to work for the ideal of peace - peace within your own shores, peace with your great neighbour, whose flag is represented today beside your own, and peace with the whole world.",
   Dempsey paid tribute to the WWI allied fight against Germany: "Ireland .. has come .. to prove by this act of homage that she took her stand with loyalty and sacrifice by the side of the great nations in the fight for liberty and civilisation.",
   in the Dail, Tue 15 July, 1924, deputy Sean Milroy, TD complains about the speech: "He was speaking for Saorstat Eireann, and so far as I know Germany has never been included in the enemies of Saorstat Eireann, and I think it is highly improper for a representative of the Saorstat to describe it in this way.",

   he is listed as "Agent-General in Paris" in Irish Senate, 11 July, 1928,
   mar pre-1939, poss. pre-1932, to Doreen O'Rahilly [born c.1915], no issue,
   Alfred wrote to him, asked him to keep eye on Doreen, at school in France, he ended up marrying her,
   "Mrs. Vaughan Dempsey" listed at funeral of Gerald Griffin 1932,
   they settled back in Ireland,
   he gave a speech at The Mansion House, Dublin, Friday 13th October, 1933, (todo) see newspapers,
   they lived 38 Greenfield Rd, Mount Merrion, Co.Dublin, listed there in [Thom's, 1936] to [Thom's, 1958],
   they both were at Nell's funeral, 1939,
   he died 29th Sept 1961, age 66 yrs, "Dean's Grange, England" (must be Dean's Grange, near Foxrock, Co.Dublin, Ireland),
   or poss. bur Dean's Grange (rather than died there),
   can't find death in Irish Times, or in [GRO.UK] 1961-62, (todo) search [GROI],
   Doreen is gone from 38 Greenfield Rd by [Thom's, 1965],
   she died pre-1969.

• Catherine Frendo (or via here),
  grand-niece of Vaughan Dempsey,
  researches family tree.

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