Percy French Birthplace

French was born at Cloonyquin House,[1] near Tulsk, County Roscommon, the son of an Anglo-Irish landlord.
He was educated at Foyle College in County Londonderry, and wrote his first successful song while studying at Trinity College Dublin (TCD) in 1877 for a "smoking concert". The song, "Abdul Abulbul Amir" was sold for £5 to an unscrupulous publisher. The song later became hugely popular and was falsely claimed by other authors.[2]


Percy French's Grave in St Luke's Church, Formby, England
He graduated from TCD as a civil engineer in 1881 and joined the Board of Works in County Cavan as an "Inspector of Drains". It is said that he wrote his best songs during this period. He also painted: French was a prolific painter of landscape watercolours and during this period considered art to be his true vocation. In fact, when he became well-known later in his life, his paintings from his time as a civil engineer became fashionable and sought after. When the Board reduced its staff around 1887, French turned to journalism as the editor of The Jarvey, a weekly comic paper.[2] When the paper failed, French's long and successful career as a songwriter and entertainer began. Around this time he married Ethel (Ettie) Kathleen Armitage-Moore (b. 1871), second daughter of William Armytage-Moore, brother of Countess of Annesley, (wife of the Third Earl). But she (and her daughter) died in childbirth at the age of 20. More >>