William Percy French stands as a unique and beloved figure in Irish cultural history. Born during a period of significant change and artistic flourishing in Ireland, he navigated a path that encompassed engineering, songwriting, stage performance, and, significantly for art history, landscape painting. While often celebrated for his witty songs and charming stage presence, French was also a dedicated and talented watercolorist whose depictions of the Irish landscape possess a distinct and enduring appeal. His life (1854-1920) spanned an era that saw the rise of the Irish Literary Revival and a renewed interest in capturing the essence of Irish identity through art and literature. French contributed to this atmosphere in his own inimitable way, blending humor, nostalgia, and a keen eye for the beauty of his homeland.
Early Life and Seeds of Creativity
William Percy French was born on May 1, 1854, at Cloonyquin House, near Tulsk, County Roscommon. His background was rooted in the Anglo-Irish landed gentry; his father, Christopher French, was a landowner, while his mother, Susan Emma Percy, was the daughter of a clergyman. This upbringing provided him with a certain level of comfort and education but also placed him within a specific social stratum of 19th-century Ireland. His early education took place at Foyle College in Derry, after which he pursued a path seemingly far removed from the arts.
In 1872, French entered Trinity College Dublin, not to study arts or letters, but civil engineering. Dublin at this time was a hub of intellectual and artistic activity, even within the more technical disciplines. Figures like the physicist George Johnstone Stoney, who coined the term 'electron', were part of the academic landscape. Though French applied himself to his engineering studies, graduating in 1881, his true passions lay elsewhere. During his time at Trinity, his creative inclinations began to surface more publicly. He was known for his wit, his musical talents (particularly on the banjo), and his penchant for sketching and writing humorous verse.
These early creative outlets were more than just distractions; they were the burgeoning signs of the multifaceted career that would later define him. He contributed cartoons and poems to campus publications, honing the observational humor that would become a hallmark of his songs. Even as he pursued a practical profession, the artist and entertainer within him were already taking shape, absorbing the sights, sounds, and social nuances of the Ireland around him.
The Reluctant Engineer
Upon graduating from Trinity College, French embarked on a career as a civil engineer, a profession he would practice, albeit with diminishing enthusiasm, for about seven years. He secured a position with the Board of Works, specifically within the Drainage Department for County Cavan. This role involved surveying land, overseeing drainage schemes, and inspecting works – tasks essential for agricultural improvement in rural Ireland but perhaps lacking the creative stimulation French craved. He famously, and humorously, referred to himself during this period as an "Inspector of Drains."
His work required him to travel extensively through the Irish countryside, particularly in Cavan and the surrounding areas. This immersion in the rural landscape, however tedious the engineering tasks might have been, undoubtedly deepened his connection to the land and its people. The bogs, lakes, rolling hills, and small villages he encountered would become central subjects in his later paintings and songs. His experiences likely provided ample material for his keen sense of observation and gentle satire regarding Irish rural life and bureaucracy.
One notable project connected to his engineering phase, though perhaps indirectly, was the Cavan and Leitrim Light Railway. While his direct involvement is debated, the railway and the general inefficiency sometimes associated with such rural projects became the inspiration for one of his most famous comic songs, "Are Ye Right There Michael, Are Ye Right?". This song perfectly encapsulates his ability to turn everyday frustrations and local character into widely relatable humor. Ultimately, the pull of his artistic interests proved stronger than the demands of engineering. The relative lack of significant engineering projects and perhaps his own temperament led him towards a path where his creativity could flourish more freely.
The Call of the Stage and Song
While working as an engineer, French's parallel life as an entertainer and songwriter began to gain momentum. He had already started writing songs during his college years. One of his earliest and most famous compositions, "Abdul Abulbul Amir," was written in 1877 (though not published until later) while he was still a student. The song, a comic ballad about a duel between a Russian and a Turkish hero, became immensely popular. Its success, however, was also marked by a common plight for songwriters of the era: plagiarism. The song was pirated and published in America without his permission, attributed to others. It took years, and legal action after his death, for the copyright and royalties to be rightfully returned to his family, showcasing the precarious nature of intellectual property for artists at the time.
French possessed a natural charisma and a talent for performance. He played the banjo, sang his own songs, told stories, and performed humorous monologues. He formed amateur entertainment groups and participated in "smoking concerts" – popular social events featuring music and variety acts. His performances were characterized by their warmth, wit, and gentle humor, often poking fun at Irish stereotypes but always with an underlying affection. He developed a unique stage persona that was both sophisticated and down-to-earth, appealing to a wide range of audiences.
As his reputation grew, he began performing more professionally. He collaborated with W. Houston Collisson, a composer and musician, on a comic opera, "The Knight of the Road" (later known as "His Excellency"). By the late 1880s, facing redundancy in his engineering post, French made the decisive shift towards a full-time career in entertainment and the arts. He became a regular performer on stages in Dublin, London, and toured extensively throughout Ireland and Great Britain, bringing his unique blend of music, humor, and storytelling to appreciative audiences.
A Prolific Songwriter and Writer
Percy French's fame as a songwriter is perhaps his most enduring legacy in popular culture. He possessed an extraordinary ability to craft catchy melodies paired with witty, observant, and often poignant lyrics. His songs frequently drew on his experiences of Irish life, landscape, and character, capturing a particular charm and humor that resonated deeply with audiences both at home and among the Irish diaspora. Beyond the early hit "Abdul Abulbul Amir," his repertoire included numerous classics that remain beloved folk standards.
"The Mountains of Mourne" is arguably his most famous song. With lyrics set to the traditional air "Carrigdhoun," it tells the story of an Irish emigrant in London observing the fashions and follies of the city, contrasting them with the simple beauty of his homeland in County Down. The song perfectly blends gentle social commentary with a deep sense of nostalgia and longing for Ireland. Other well-known titles include the lively "Phil the Fluther's Ball," the emigration ballad "Come Back Paddy Reilly to Ballyjamesduff," and the aforementioned railway satire "Are Ye Right There Michael, Are Ye Right?".
His lyrical skill extended beyond humor and nostalgia. Songs like "The Emigrant's Letter" captured the sadness and hope of those leaving Ireland. His writing wasn't confined to songs; he was also a poet and journalist. For a period in 1890, he edited a weekly comic paper called The Jarvey, named after the driver of a jaunting car. Though short-lived, the paper showcased his satirical wit and provided another outlet for his observations on Dublin life and society. His collected poems and writings further reveal his versatility and his consistent engagement with the themes of Irish identity, landscape, and everyday life, often viewed through a lens of gentle humor and affection.
Embracing the Brush: The Watercolorist
Parallel to his burgeoning career as a songwriter and entertainer, William Percy French nurtured his talent as a visual artist, primarily working in watercolor. This was not merely a hobby but a serious artistic pursuit that occupied him throughout his adult life. His engineering work, requiring sketching and observation of the landscape, may have initially provided practical training for his eye, but his artistic sensibility was innate. He was largely self-taught as a painter, developing his technique through practice and observation.
French began exhibiting his watercolors publicly, gaining recognition in the Dublin art scene. He became a member of the Watercolour Society of Ireland (then the Dublin Sketching Club, later the Irish Watercolour Society) and regularly submitted works to their annual exhibitions. His paintings focused almost exclusively on landscapes, particularly the Irish countryside he knew so intimately from his travels as an engineer and performer. He was drawn to the subtle beauties of the Irish environment: the misty bogs, the dramatic skies over mountains, the tranquil lakes, and the rugged coastlines.
His subjects often included iconic locations like the Mountains of Mourne, the landscapes of Connemara, the lakes of Killarney, and the rural scenes of Counties Cavan and Roscommon. He had a particular fondness for capturing atmospheric effects – the soft light of dawn or dusk, the shifting patterns of clouds, reflections in water, and the pervasive Irish mist. Unlike some of his contemporaries who might have focused on grand historical themes or formal portraiture, French found his inspiration in the quiet, everyday beauty of the land. His paintings offered a visual counterpart to the nostalgic and affectionate portrayal of Ireland found in his songs.
Artistic Style and Technique
Percy French's painting style is characterized by its charm, sensitivity to atmosphere, and skilled handling of the watercolor medium. While not an innovator in the mould of avant-garde artists, he developed a distinctive and recognizable approach to landscape painting that blended elements of late Romanticism with a subtle Impressionistic sensibility, particularly in his treatment of light and atmosphere. His work sits comfortably within the tradition of British and Irish watercolor painting established by artists like J.M.W. Turner (in his more atmospheric studies) and later figures such as Helen Allingham, known for her detailed depictions of English rural life, though French's focus remained firmly on the wilder Irish landscapes.
His technique involved delicate washes of color to build up tone and mood, often capturing the soft, diffused light characteristic of the Irish climate. He was adept at rendering the textures of bogland, the ruggedness of mountains, and the reflective qualities of water. Works like Bog Scene at Dusk, Evening Light, Breaking Clouds, and Twilight in the Woods exemplify his preoccupation with capturing specific moments of changing light and weather. His palette often favored blues, greens, and earthy tones, reflecting the natural colors of the Irish countryside, but he could also employ brighter hues to capture the fleeting effects of sunlight breaking through clouds.
Compared to some of his Irish contemporaries, French's style was generally less bold or experimental. He did not embrace the strong colors and expressive brushwork of Roderic O'Conor, who engaged directly with French Post-Impressionism, nor the stark, iconic compositions favoured by Paul Henry in his depictions of the West of Ireland. French's work is closer in spirit, perhaps, to the atmospheric landscapes of Nathaniel Hone the Younger or the detailed observations of Mildred Anne Butler, though with his own unique, often more lyrical and less formally structured, approach. His paintings often possess an illustrative quality, evoking a sense of place that feels both real and slightly idealized, imbued with the same gentle nostalgia found in his music.
Artistic Milieu and Connections
William Percy French operated within a vibrant Irish art scene, particularly centered around Dublin, though his frequent touring meant he was somewhat peripatetic. He was connected to the artistic community primarily through his membership and regular exhibitions with the Watercolour Society of Ireland. This society provided a crucial platform for watercolor artists, fostering a collegial atmosphere and public appreciation for the medium. French exhibited alongside many prominent Irish artists of the day who also worked in watercolor or were associated with the Dublin scene.
These contemporaries included figures like Walter Osborne, renowned for his sensitive depictions of Dublin street life and rural scenes, often capturing fleeting effects of light with an Impressionistic touch. Joseph Malachy Kavanagh shared French's interest in landscape and coastal scenes. Nathaniel Hone the Younger, a generation older, was a highly respected landscape painter whose atmospheric works, influenced by the Barbizon School, were widely admired. Rose Barton gained fame for her charming watercolor views of Dublin and London city life. Mildred Anne Butler excelled in detailed studies of nature, gardens, and animals, often working in watercolor.
Further afield, but part of the broader context of Irish art, were artists like Jack B. Yeats, whose expressive, dynamic style focused intensely on Irish life and character, offering a stark contrast to French's gentler vision. Paul Henry was developing his iconic, poster-like style depicting the landscapes and people of the West of Ireland. Sarah Purser was a pivotal figure in Dublin's cultural life, not only as a portraitist and stained glass artist but also as an organizer who played a key role in establishing the Hugh Lane Municipal Gallery of Modern Art. While French may not have been part of the more 'serious' artistic circles centered around figures like Purser or those pushing modernist boundaries like Roderic O'Conor (who worked mostly in France), he was certainly a known and active participant in the Dublin art world. He was also a member of the Dublin United Arts Club, founded in 1907, a social hub for artists, writers, and musicians, further integrating him into the city's cultural fabric alongside figures like W.B. Yeats (brother of Jack B. Yeats) and the painter and portraitist John Butler Yeats (their father). Other major figures in Irish art at the time included the internationally successful portraitists John Lavery and William Orpen, whose work represented a more academic or cosmopolitan strand compared to French's focus on domestic landscapes and entertainment.
Personal Life and Challenges
Percy French's life, while marked by professional success and public affection, also contained significant personal sorrow. In 1890, he married Ethel ('Ettie') Armitage-Moore, who came from a respected County Cavan family. Their happiness was tragically short-lived. In June 1891, Ettie died in childbirth, just a year after their wedding. The infant daughter also died. This devastating loss profoundly affected French, casting a shadow over his otherwise cheerful public persona. Friends noted a change in him, a deeper strain of melancholy beneath the surface humor.
He threw himself into his work, perhaps as a way to cope with his grief. Three years later, in 1894, French married again. His second wife was Helen ('Lennie') Sheldon, from Warwickshire, England. They met while she was accompanying her brother, a clergyman, who was performing alongside French. This marriage proved to be a long and happy one, providing stability and companionship. Together, they had three daughters: Ettie (named in memory of his first wife), Mollie, and Joan. Helen was a supportive partner, managing aspects of his career and accompanying him on tours.
Despite the demands of his career, which involved constant travel and performance, French was described as a devoted family man. His daughters later wrote affectionately about their father, remembering his humor, kindness, and the creative atmosphere of their home. The earlier tragedy, however, remained a poignant part of his life story. It added a layer of depth to his character, perhaps informing the gentle melancholy that underlies some of his most nostalgic songs and atmospheric paintings. He navigated these personal challenges with resilience, maintaining his public career and continuing to create art that brought joy to many.
Later Career and Final Years
In the early 1900s, seeking broader opportunities and perhaps a change of scene, Percy French moved his family from Dublin to London, settling in St John's Wood. London was the hub of the entertainment world, and the move allowed him greater access to agents, publishers, and performance venues. He continued to tour extensively, not only in Britain and Ireland but also undertaking successful tours further afield, including trips to Switzerland, Canada, the United States, and the West Indies. His unique blend of song, storytelling, and "lightning sketches" (quick drawings or paintings executed live on stage) proved popular wherever he went.
His painting continued alongside his performance career. He exhibited works in London, including at the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colours. While his popular fame rested largely on his songs and stage persona, his watercolors gained appreciation among collectors. They offered charming, accessible views of the Irish landscape, appealing to a sense of nostalgia, particularly among the Irish diaspora he often entertained. He maintained strong connections with Ireland, returning frequently for performances and inspiration.
His final years were marked by continued activity, despite the outbreak of World War I, during which he entertained troops. In January 1920, while undertaking a professional engagement in Glasgow, Scotland, he fell ill. He managed to travel as far as Formby, Lancashire, near Liverpool, where his cousin lived. There, his condition worsened, and he died of pneumonia on January 24, 1920, at the age of 65. His death was met with widespread sadness in Ireland and Britain, marking the end of a unique career that had brought laughter and beauty into many lives.
Legacy and Reputation
William Percy French left behind a rich and varied legacy that continues to resonate, particularly in Ireland. He is primarily remembered as one of Ireland's most popular songwriters, whose tunes like "The Mountains of Mourne" and "Are Ye Right There Michael?" are embedded in the national consciousness, sung in pubs and concert halls alike. His humor, warmth, and gentle satire captured a particular aspect of Irish character and life that remains endearing. His songs have been recorded by countless artists over the decades, ensuring their transmission to new generations.
His reputation as a painter, while perhaps secondary to his fame as an entertainer during his lifetime, has grown significantly since his death. His watercolors, once potentially dismissed by some critics as merely charming or illustrative, are now recognized for their technical skill, atmospheric sensitivity, and their value as evocative records of the Irish landscape of his time. His works appear regularly at auction, often fetching substantial prices, and are held in private and public collections. They are appreciated for their artistry and for the nostalgic connection they offer to a bygone Ireland.
Organizations like the Percy French Society actively work to preserve and promote his memory and works across all disciplines – music, writing, and painting. Memorials exist in his honor, including a statue in Ballyjamesduff, County Cavan (immortalized in his song "Come Back Paddy Reilly"), and a bronze bench featuring his likeness near the National Concert Hall in Dublin. French's unique contribution lies in his multifaceted talent and his ability to connect with a wide audience through different art forms. He was not a radical innovator, but he was a master craftsman in his chosen fields, capturing the beauty, humor, and melancholy of Ireland with a distinctive and enduring charm. His legacy is that of a beloved entertainer and a skilled artist who left an indelible mark on Irish culture.
