According to Neil R. Davison, the sermons in Chapter III of A Portrait of the Artist are modeled on those given by Cullen during a retreat held in 1897. Notable past pupils Alumni and teachers at Belvedere played major roles in modern Irish literature (James Joyce, Austin Clarke, the foundation of Ireland's National Theatre), the standardisation of the Irish language (de Bhaldraithe), as well as the Irish independence movement – both the 1916 Rising (Joseph Mary Plunkett, Éamon de Valera) and the Irish War of Independence (Éamon de Valera, Cathal Brugha, Kevin Barry). The school's notable alumni and former faculty include two Taoisigh (Irish Prime Minister), one Ceann Comhairle (Speaker of the Lower House of the Irish Parliament), several cabinet ministers, one Blessed, one Cardinal, one Archbishop, one signatory of the Proclamation of the Irish Republic, two Supreme Court Justices, one Olympic medallist, thirty Irish international rugby players and numerous notable figures in the world of the arts, academia and business. A list of selected notable past pupils is outlined below. The arts Thomas Bodkin – Director of the National Gallery of Ireland (1927–35) Francis Browne – photographer Austin Clarke – poet Harry Clarke – artist Tim Pat Coogan – historian and journalist Denis Devlin – poet Owen Dudley Edwards – historian and literary expert on Oscar Wilde, Arthur Conan Doyle and P.G. Wodehouse Patrick Duggan – actor William Fay – co-founder of the Abbey Theatre Jimmy Glover – composer Mark Greaney and Fergal Matthews – members of indie rock band JJ72 James Joyce – writer Donagh MacDonagh – poet, playwright, broadcaster, folklorist, and district justice Hugh Maguire – violinist John O'Conor – pianist and Beethoven master Jimmy O'Dea – actor Liam O'Flaherty – writer Conal O'Riordan – writer Jack Reynor- actor Eoin Macken - model and actor Rejjie Snow – rapper Mervyn Wall – writer Leo Whelan - painter Irish history, politics Kevin Barry – Irish republican (did not graduate) Cathal Brugha – Irish republican (did not graduate) Richard Bruton – Fine Gael Teachta Dála (TD) Deputy Leader of Fine Gael & Government Minister Jack Chambers – Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) Garret FitzGerald – Fine Gael Taoiseach former Leader of Fine Gael Brothers Brian Lenihan and Conor Lenihan – Fianna Fáil Teachtaí Dála (TD) William Martin Murphy – Member of Parliament (MP) Cian O'Callaghan - member of the Social Democrats(TD) for Dublin Bay North Chris O'Malley – Fine