The founding of the Percy French Summer School seemed a natural progression once the dust had settled on the massive restoration project that is Castlecoote House.

Percy French ran deep in our family. Not just on my father's side (though he was instrumental in establishing the Percy French Committee in 1957 and the twomajor summer festivals that followed), he also had connections with my mother’s family, the Flanagans. Michael Flanagan (1854– 1941), my great grandfather, owned Cloonyquinn Post Office and shop at the end of the avenue leading to the Frenchs’home, Cloonyquinn House. The Frenches, including Percy, regularly shopped, mailed, received post and telegrams there. Percy’s nephew, Harry French, had my uncle, Michael Flanagan, chauffer him almost everywhere. Michael remained a very active member of the Percy French Society right up until his death in 2005.

Inside Cloonyquinn House 1957
Front Row Left to Right;
Mr Robbie Kilgallon, Mrs Kilgallon, Ettie French,
Major Harry French, Joan French, Paddy Dillon,
John Finnerty and Tom Mchale

We grew up on Percy French’s music and when I first met Bill Golding, in 1983, to my complete surprise, he already knew my father through Percy French. It transpired that my father had written to Bill asking for sponsorship for the Percy French Scholarship that he set up in 1966 (and still running). Bill, the star of RTÉ’s biography of Percy French, The Last Troubadour, responded generously and during the restoration of Castlecoote House advised that we hold Percy French musical evenings when Castlecoote House was restored.

The Percy French room has been open to the public since 2001, and, although we have held many musical evenings featuring Percy French’s music, it was not until the large music room was restored that the Percy French Summer School became a reality. The major contributors to the Percy French evenings at Castlecoote House were Bill Golding, Brian Munn and Teresa O’Donnell, so itwas a natural progression that they assume the roles they now have with the School.
Michael D. Higgins was central to our plans to launch the school and his stirring opening address dealt with the context of Percy French’s work—the world behind his words. This approach again forms the framework for this year’s School. Michael D’s later acceptance of the role of Honorary President of the Summer School reflects his grá for Percy French’s work as well as his conviction that French’s work forms a significant contribution to our literary history and to the world of art and entertainment.

The open armed greeting I received from the Roscommon County Librarian, Mr. Richie Farrell, was very encouraging and we welcome his continued support for the School. Last year and again this year we are absolutely delighted that the Department of Education and Skills has endorsed our Summer School Programme drawing teachers from three counties, Leitrim, Longford and Roscommon and involving over 175 schools. This will take Percy French to new heights, strengthening dramatically his standing in our cultural heritage which hopefully will finally return him to his beloved native Roscommon. Much work has gone into organising this years programme and credit to the late Oliver Nulty (Oriel Gallery), whose publication Lead Kindly Light, provided the basis of our school theme this year.

We hope you will enjoy the rich and varied insights provided by some of our leading academics into the remarkable life of one of our own natives, particularly in this wonderful setting.