Patrick F. Dealy

Patrick F. Dealy was a Jesuit priest and the eleventh president of St. John's College (now Fordham University) from 1882 to 1885.

Early years Dealy was born on April 7, 1827, in Rathkeale, County Limerick, Ireland. Little is known about his early life, except that his family emigrated to America when he was young. Dealy began his education in NYC public schools, but in 1843 he started his studies at St. John's Grammar Department; which later became known as the Second Division; today it is Fordham Preparatory School. Three years later, in 1846, he was a part of the first graduating class of the Grammar Department. Later in the year Dealy entered the Society of Jesuits, and became "the first Fordham student to become a Jesuit, although ironically, he had not had any Jesuits as teachers during his Prep days." He was the first teacher there who spoke English as their first language. Dealy's Jesuit education encouraged his travels abroad, and he spent time in Austria, France, Rome, Montreal, Belgium, and at St. John's.

St. John's College/Fordham University From 1852 to 1853 Dealy returned to NYC and taught Latin and Greek at the Grammar Department. He founded the Xavier Union during his time spent teaching at Xavier, which is now the Catholic Union. He was the first Fordham student to become president of the college. In 1853 "the rector (probably Larkin) noted that Dealy's 'ingenium,' or intelligence and proficiency in literature, were only 'mediocre,' and his special talent was for teaching the younger boys. In those days, this was not a ringing endorsement." For the next few decades Dealy taught on again and off again at the college level, and while teaching at Xavier he founded the Xavier Union. The club was later renamed the Catholic Club, but it was wildly popular and have one thousand members. In 1931, he was memorialized with the renaming of First Division Hall to Dealy Hall.