The centenary of the death of one of Ireland’s greatest artists, composers and entertainers, Percy French, has been commemorated by the Slieve Donard Resort & Spa in Newcastle with the unveiling of an installation in his honour.
French is best known as a writer of humorous songs such as Phil The Fluther’s Ball, Slattery’s Mounted Foot, Are You Right There Michael, Come Back Paddy Reilly to Ballyjamesduff and, most famously, The Mountains of Mourne.
The sculpture, which is set on the grounds of the Slieve Donard Resort with the Mountains of Mourne and Irish Sea as a stunning backdrop, consists of the words of the latter song interwoven in three metal panels and was unveiled by Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Paul Muldoon, a renowned French fan.
Commissioned by Hastings Hotels, the installation was designed by Andrew Todd from Holywood based Tandem Design and produced by a team of highly talented local, specialists including landscape architects, lighting designers, interpretation designers, paving experts and engineers and represents a £200,000 investment.
The sculpture is bordered by four locally-sourced granite seats dedicated to French’s second wife and daughters with way markers to famous French locations such as his birthplace in Roscommon, Ballyjamesduff, Drumcolligher in Co Limerick, Formby where he died and London.
French had a long history with Newcastle, and his first wife, who died in childbirth, was a sister of Countess Annesley whose family owned the land on the Mountains of Mourne.
Howard Hastings, Managing Director of Hastings Hotels said: “As Tourism Northern Ireland gears up to launch its new Embrace a Giant Spirit campaign, it is appropriate that we have chosen to celebrate the achievements of a giant spirit of the Victorian Age, William Percy French, who died 100 years ago this year.
This new installation will serve as a monument to the memory of a man who blazed a trail in his own era and has left a huge cultural imprint on the country. Percy would be pleased that so many elements of his life, including his wife and his three daughters, are celebrated in Mourne granite.”