Tulsk, Co. Roscommon: Percy French

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William Percy French - songwriter, poet and painter was born in Cloonyquin House near Tulsk in County Roscommon in 1854. He trained as a civil engineer and humorously referred to himself merely as an “inspector of drains”. But his great love was music and art and his talent for turning the ordinary into something extraordinary has ensured his place in musical history. He spent a lot of the Great War raising funds for and entertaining the soldiers but before that, local historian Danny Tiernan tells one of the most famous stories about French which really encapsulates the wit of one of Roscommon’s most famous sons. Location: Tulsk, Co. Roscommon 53°46'52.9"N 8°15'21.9"W Image: A watercolour of Cloonyquinn House painted by Percy French Image courtesy of The Percy French Society