The story.
Henry Godfrey “Harry” Tempest (1881–1964) belonged to the Dundalgan Press family. The festival’s account remembers him as a publisher, photographer, draughtsman and local historian whose annuals recorded Dundalk’s commercial and cultural life.
Mariana Duarte Santos’ portrait honours the person behind that record. His published work also survives in library catalogues: the National Library of Ireland records a 1961 review attributed to H. G. Tempest. Together with the surviving annuals, these traces offer ways to explore the town through the words and images of someone who studied it closely.
Harry Tempest
(1881-1964)
It is said that Harry Tempest should have been a journalist as his observational skills were outstanding. He noted the passing scene in a humorous, whimsical manner and recorded it through his doodles, drawings & photography. Harry was a creative thinker and a visionary, not only of artistic endeavour, but he understood the importance of chronicling local history and events for the benefit of generations to come!
Printer • Publisher • Artist/Cartoonist • Writer • Graphic Designer
Local Historian • Archivist • Photographer
Henry Tempest, affectionally known as Harry, was the eldest son of William Tempest who founded the printing company of Dundalgan Press (W. Tempest) Ltd. on Crowe Street in 1859.
The company expanded quickly and eventually comprised of a three-storey printing works and a retail shop dealing in stationery, books, sheet music, pianos, gramophones, toys and sports goods. Harry was greatly influenced by his parent’s entrepreneurial side, and his father’s creative side, and this undoubtedly inspired him to eventually take over the family’s printing business.
He loved to travel, and touring extensively throughout Europe, he always took along his camera and sketchbook to record items of interest. He married a lady called Alice Vine in England and soon afterwards they moved to Dundalk, to a house in Mill Street which they christened the “Garden House” and the couple went on to spend the rest of their lives there.
Harry took over the family business when his father died in 1918. Described as a maker of fine and beautiful books, he specialised in the printing of academic, educational and historic books. His famous Tempest Annuals are the greatest record of commercial, historical and cultural life in Dundalk and were published for over a hundred years.
These publications reflected Harry’s own interests in the history of Dundalk and County Louth as he was one of the founding members of the Dundalk Museum (1911) and also one of the founding members of the County Louth Archaeological Society (in 1903). In 1953 this society’s council awarded him a gold medal for services rendered, and for his contribution of 103 articles to the journal. He is one of only 3 recipients of this honour!
He is fondly remembered as one of the leading local historians, amateur archaeologist and chroniclers of his era, leaving behind an invaluable record of Dundalk and surrounds, which is cherished to this day.
We highly recommend a visit to Dundalk Library where a full collection of the Tempest Annuals is available to view in the Reference Library upstairs.
Dundalgan Press (W. Tempest) Ltd. ceased trading in 2017 after 158 years in business.
Sincere thanks to Liam Gaynor, whose invaluable insight and assistance during the research stage truly brought the mural's story to life.
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