Tag Archives: percy french

Michael Weston, General Manager Slieve Donard Hotel with his dog Atticus.

‘sup?

This afternoon.

Slieve Donard Hotel, Newcastle, County Down.

The centenary of the death of Percy French was commemorated with the unveiling of an installation in his honour.

Darren Hughes writes:

One of Ireland’s greatest songwriters, composers and entertainers 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 €230,000 installation 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, who own the Slieve Donard Hotel, the installation is designed by Andrew Todd of Tandem Design, who has worked on Titanic Belfast and King John’s Castle in Limerick, and is produced by local craftspeople.

Slieve Donard Hotel

Kelvin Boyes/Press Eye