Percy French remembered in Roscommon.

In the visitors book in Glenveagh Castle, Co. Donegal, Percy French wrote the immortal lines;

"Remember me is all I ask, and yet

If the remembrance prove a task – Forget!"

It is difficult to envisage any time in Roscommon since the death of Percy French in 1920, that has not encouraged a conscious or unconscious link with the great man and his music. Singing songs at weddings, wakes or at the local "open-house" session must surely have included such perennial favourites as The Mountains of Mourne, Come Back Paddy Reilly and Are You Right There Michael? It is probable therefore that when John Finnerty and his compatriots decided to hold a Percy French Festival in Cloonyquinn in 1957 they were, in fact, continuing an earlier tradition, but on a much grander scale.

The group organised a two-week festival of entertainment at Cloonyquinn House from 19th to 26th May. The concerts showcased the versatility of Percy French - his songs, his poetry and his paintings were all reviewed and the festival received national and international press coverage. Concerts, a ceilí, film shows and programmes of traditional Irish music were all organised in the grounds of Cloonyquinn House.

The reports tell us that up to 500 people were accommodated at lectures and up to 800 at dances. Over 1000 people attended two major recitals, with people travelling from Roscommon, Cavan, Dublin, Donegal, Galway, Longford, Mayo and Sligo, amongst other places, to enjoy the fare. The Tourist Board paid £300 in sponsorship, a significant sum at the time!

Percy French‘s daughters Ettie and Joan French attended, as did Mr. T. H. Mason, who had met French in 1890 and had travelled throughout Ireland with him, on his concert tours. Some of those who provided the entertainment included Walter McDonagh and Paddy Thornton from Sligo, Mary Feeney and Kevin Casey. Charlie McGee from Dublin played Percy‘s banjo and guitar. Sketches were provided by The Breffni Players. This committee also unearthed Brendan O‘Dowda who, after his experience at the Festivals, steered his own musical career firmly in the repertoire of the famous Cloonyquinn man. The most optimistic dreams of the committee had been surpassed.

Musical evenings & concerts continued afterwards in Roscommon, many held in the homes of the founding members. So successful was this first Festival, it was followed in 1958 by another very successful event and this laid the foundation for a new round of house-parties and musical evenings, which continued the tradition in the following years. We know this because some people still remember those gatherings and the great times that were had there.

During the 1960‘s, though the surviving records are sparse, we can still imagine this latent underground interest. It burst into flame again a decade later, when in May 1967 an "International Poetry Festival" was held in his memory.

This coincided with the launch of the Percy French Scholarship, an event that still continues to this day and in the Business Arena, the renaming of the Percy French Hotel in Strokestown, was surely a public signal of an otherwise silent activity. Why would anyone name a hotel after the man, unless the name itself had some attractive powers?

At Easter 1970 a sell-out concert was organised in the Ametyst Ballroom in Elphin, the entertainment was provided by the famous Percy French impersonator Brendan O‘Dowda. And then … silence!

For over ten years the "echo" of Percy French was not publicly heard in Roscommon, until, with the reformation of the Roscommon Archaeological and Historical Society in 1984 a plaque at Cloonyquinn was unveiled and a commemorative booklet launched.

Another hiatus ensued until 1989 when the Percy French Festival resumed and this event began a final flourish in the last decade of the 20th Century. In 1990 Roscommon Chamber of Commerce and the RTE Orchestra held a "Percy French Remembered" Concert at the Hyde Centre at the end of March / beginning of April.

One year later in May 1991 a "Percy French Weekend was held, once again involving the Chamber of Commerce and this time, the Roscommon Church of Ireland community. Events included a Festival of Flowers, a Viennese Evening in the Abbey hotel, an exhibition of Percy French Paintings and Old Roscommon Photographs in the library, an interpretation of the works of Percy French, in the Abbey hotel and guided tours of Roscommon Town (with Albert Siggins), Clonalis House and Strokestown Park House.

A break for breath in 1992, was followed by the foundation of the Roscommon Percy French Society on 10 February 1993. An illustrated talk on the life and times of Percy French by Tadhg O‘Regan was held in May and a memorial service for then recently deceased Ettie French was also arranged. The first Percy French Art Competition was held in 1994 and the second the following year. A cross-border visit by the Percy French Society from Co. Down was organised in 1996 at which lasting links were forged.

A concert party in ‘97 was followed by "Moore & French – The Entertainers" in the Abbey Hotel in November 1998. The event was organised by Roscommon Chamber of Commerce and the entertainers were Philip Byrne, Bryan Hoey, Cahal McCabe and Joe Bevan. The decade ended with another Percy French Weekend in 1999 showcasing the Percy French Choral Society and organised by Roscommon VEC.

Programmes for the 2009, 2010 and 2011 Percy French Summer Schools (above) with signatures of some of the attendees, including Michael D. Higgins President of Ireland. Just a small selection of material from the Summer Schools in the library collection.

Percy French wrote little in verse about his native county. Perhaps that‘s a good thing, as his wit was often sharp! But Roscommon always held a place dear to his heart. In his poem "Retrospection" he remembers his youth in Cloonyquinn;

"Could I find again the woodland

Where I loved to lie a dream

While the dragon-flies were dancing

To the rippling of the stream.

I‘d give up all the world has brought

And all that it may bring

To be the merry boy again

Sailing through the Spring".

When the Roscommon Percy French Society was founded it‘s objectives were:

• To perpetuate the memory of Percy French.
• To highlight his place of birth and all other places associated with him throughout Co. Roscommon.
• To research, collate and put on permanent record all memorabilia and other archival materials.
• To promote workshops, summer schools and other such educational activities as may be deemed appropriate and feasible.
• To mount exhibitions and organise musical recitals and other cultural events that will highlight the enormous contribution made locally, nationally and internationally by the renowned and distinguished son of Co. Roscommon.

The Local Studies Archive in Roscommon County Library endeavours to provide that archive and permanent record. Percy French may be gone, but, in the Local Studies Collection of Roscommon County Library his life ECHOES DOWN THROUGH THE PAGES OF HISTORY, to this very day!

~ All photographs in this publication are of items in Roscommon Library – Local Studies Archive. They may be consulted by appointment. Telephone: 090 6637277 / 6637273