| 1 May, 1854 | William Percy French was born at Cloonyquin House, Co. Roscommon www.countyroscommon.com“Nearly sixty years ago an event of immense importance occurred in the history of Ireland. No cables buzzed the news to the ends of the earth. No telephones rang – there were none to ring. Cabinets were not hastily summoned nor consuls recalled, but Larry McCullagh lepped on the “chestnut mare” and galloped as fasht as he could shplit for Dr. Peyton. By the time the doctor arrived I was an accomplished fact, endowed by my parents with all the mental activity of the house of French and all the physical health and beauty of the Percys.” |
| He was the second son of landowner Christopher French and his wife Susan Emma (nee Percy), daughter of Reverend William Percy, a rector at Carrick-on-Shannon | |
| French was educated at Windemere College and Foyle College, Derry | |
| 1872 | Commenced a degree in Civil Engineering at Trinity College, Dublin (TCD) www.tcd.ie |
| 1877 | His first successful song, Abdul Abulbul Amir |
| 1881 | Graduated from TCD “admirably unfitted for any profession whatsoever!” |
| 1883 | Became surveyor or inspector of drains with the Board of Works in County Cavan in 1883. His salary excluding expenses was £300 per annum |
| 1889-1890 | The Jarvey |
| 1888 | Andy McElroe |
| 1889 | Slattery’s Mounted Fut |
| 1890 | On 28th June 1890, Percy French married Ettie Armytage |
| 1891 | Ettie dies in childbirth |
| 1891 | Their daughter was born on 5th June |
| 1891 | Highly successful musical comedy in three acts, ‘The Knight of the Road |
| 1892 | Mat Hannigan’s Aunt |
| 1894 | Married Helen (Lennie) Sheldon, an English chorus girl of Burnington House, Warwickshire |
| 1896 | The Mountains of Mourne |
| 1896 | 10th August – French’s epic journey to a performance at Moore’s Hall, Kilkea at 8pm which resulted in the highly entertaining Are ye right there Michael? which describes his journey from Dublin to Kilkee on the West Clare Railway www.westclarerailway.ie |
| 1897 | Are Ye Right There, Michael |
| 1900 | When Erin Wakes |
| 1907 | Pretendy Land |
| 1909 | The Kerry Courting |
| 1910 | Oklahoma Rose, Tullinahaw and The Emigrant’s Letter |
| 1910 | Toured Canada, the East coast of the USA, and the West Indies with Houston Collison, receiving enthusiastic reviews and playing to packed audiences |
| 1911 | Flanagan’s Flying Machine |
| 1912 | Come Back Paddy Reilly |
| 1914 | The Killyran Wrackers |
| 1915 | Larry Mick McGarry |
| 1916 | French was dragged by a train and consequently his health deteriorated |
| 1920 | Died from pneumonia on 24th January and buried in the churchyard of St. Luke’s Parish Church, Formby |
| 1957 | Week-long summer festival was held at Cloonyquinn House |
| 1957 | The Percy French Scholarship |
| 1958 | Week long summer festival was held again at Cloonyquinn House |
| 1959 | The Percy French Scholarship was founded |
| 1960 | Irish Land Commission acquired the property and sold it to a Mr. Stratford who was in the demolition and salvage trade |
| 1964 | Roscommon County Council paid Marty Keogh, £3 6s 8d to demolish the house in 1964 |
| 1983 | Percy French Society of North Down founded www.percyfrench.org |
| 1984 | Roscommon Percy French Society founded |
| 2009 | First Percy French Festival – The Last Troubador at Castlecoote house |
| 2010 | Second Percy French Festival – When Erin Wakes at Castlecoote house |
| 2011 | Third Percy French Festival – Lead Kindly Light at Castlecoote house |
| 2012 | Fourth Percy French Festival – Through A French Window at Castlecoote house Opened by The President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins |
| 2013 | Fifth Percy French Festival – The French Connection at Castlecoote house |
| 2014 | Sixth Percy French Festival – The French Paradox at Castlecoote house |
| 2015 | Seventh Percy French Festival – Through a French Mirror at Castlecoote house |
| 2016 | Eighth Percy French Festival – The French Letter at Castlecoote house |
