St.
Luke's Church Formby welcomes 36 Irish Friends.
The Percy French
Society traveled all the way from County Antrim and County
Down in Ireland, just to go the grave of the Irish poet
and song writer who lived from 1854 to 1920 and was layer to
rest in the peaceful graveyard of St Luke's Church
Formby. Percy French was born in Cloonyquin,
County Roscommon on 1st May, 1854. He became one
of the foremost entertainers of his day. He was educated at
Windermere College, Foyle College and TCD. In 1887
lost his capital in an unwise investment in a
distillery he turned to journalism as editor of the "Jarvey",
a weekly comic paper. When this failed his long and
successful career as a songwriter and entertainer began.
With a Dr. Collisson as partner, he toured Canada, the
United States, the West Indies and England. He delighted in
composing and singing comic songs, accompanying himself on
the banjo. He gained considerable distinction with such
songs as "Phil the Fluters Ball" and
"Where the Mountains of Mourne sweep down to the
sea." Percy French died from
pneumonia on 24th January 1920, aged 65, but his songs live
on. On Friday the society came over and stopped
off in Southport and as a mark of respect for the song
writer poet and comic, they held a service on Saturday
Morning and looked around the Church yard. In the Evening
they went to a local restraint in Formby and the on to a
joint concert hosted in St. Luke's Church Hall with acts
done by both St Luke's and them selves.
The Persy French Society Society
Opened the night with a reading thanking St. Luke's Church
and also with praise for their idle.
