Percy French

Percy French ( born May 1, 1854 in Clooneyquin House at Elphin, County Roscommon, † 24 January in Formby, Merseyside, 1920) was an Irish songwriter and entertainer.

French studied Civil Engineering at Trinity College Dublin. He already wanted to emigrate to Canada, but received in 1881 an appointment as inspector of drainage systems in County Cavan. Even as a student he began to write songs, like the popular 1877 Abdul Amir Abulbul to the duel of two swashbuckling hero in just ongoing Russian -Turkish War, the Russian Ivan Skavinsky Skavar and the Turkish title character. After he was in 1887 dismissed on account of public savings, he was first a journalist (two years in the comic weekly The Jarvey ) and then full time songwriter and entertainer who for comic songs as Phil the floodlight ball ( a ball on the country), Slattery's Mounted Foot, Come back Paddy Reilly to Ballyjamesduff, The Mountains of Mourne ( about an Irish workers from the Mourne Mountains in London) and Are Ye Right There Michael was known ( about the poor condition of the railway in County Clare ). The music often came from his friend Dr. WH Collisson and he found the topics on travel through Ireland or of his acquaintance. He toured with a self-written revue with songs, skits and stories, 1900 in the Music Halls of the metropolis of London.

In the late 1980s he was briefly married to Kathleen Armitage -Moore, but his wife died at the birth of a likewise deceased daughter in 1891. Following year, he married a second time, Helen Sheldon, with whom he had three daughters.

He is also known for watercolors.