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9
George Campbell and the Belfast Boys 2015
At school, George enjoyed rugby, cricket and boxing.
10
His linguistic abilities manifested
in his teenage years. He won prizes for Latin in 1931 and 1933, French in 1930 and 1932,
and the Florentine Prize in 1930. In an interview in the 1970s, Campbell recalled learning
languages in school: ‘I did learn languages, which caught my imagination and I gave them of
my best. I saw languages as the keys to travel. I liked Spanish music then and wanted to see
Spain, France and Italy.’
11
On completing his education, he returned to Belfast in 1934 and
took a clerkship in the Telegraph office.
10
Boxing was not a registered sport at the school but informal classes were given to the boys. Conversation
with Dr Harold Ennis, (a pupil at the school from 1940-5), 2 December 2014.
11
George Campbell: Self Portrait, BBC, 1973.
fig.6: George Campbell’s birthplace, Ferrybank,
Arklow, Co. Wicklow
fig.7: Masonic Boys School, Clonskeagh.
Photo courtesy of The Freemasons of Ireland
fig.8: George Campbell, (Bottom left) Masonic
Boys School rugby team, 1932-33
fig.9: George Campbell ‘on the ball’ against Royal
Academy, Belfast