Dannny Boy is one of over 100 songs composed to
the same tune. The author was the English lawyer,
songwriter and entertainer, Frederic Edward
Weatherly (1848-1929). He wrote the lyrics to
Danny Boy in 1910 but only used the traditional
tune when he was sent the 'Londonderry Air' by his
sister-in-law in 1912. The song was republished in
1913. Alfred Perceval Graves was a friend of
Weatherly but the two fell out when Graves claimed
that his friend had stolen some of the lyrics that
Graves himself had written for the song. The tune
was also known as the 'Air from County Derry'.
The earliest appearance of the tune in print was
in 1855 in 'Ancient Music of Ireland' by George
Petrie (1789-1866) when it was given to Petrie by
Jane Ross of Limavady in County Derry, who claimed
to have copied the tune from an itinerant piper.
The song became very popular in America where it
was recorded by Bing Crosby. It has been used by
many Irish traditional and even rock musicians
ever since. The famous Irish rock band, Thin Lizzy,
used the music on their 1979 album, 'Black Rose'.
It remains one of the most popular and well known
Irish love songs of all time.
Dannny Boy is one of over 100 songs composed to
the same tune. The author was the English lawyer,
songwriter and entertainer, Frederic Edward
Weatherly (1848-1929). He wrote the lyrics to
Danny Boy in 1910 but only used the traditional
tune when he was sent the 'Londonderry Air' by his
sister-in-law in 1912. The song was republished in
1913. Alfred Perceval Graves was a friend of
Weatherly but the two fell out when Graves claimed
that his friend had stolen some of the lyrics that
Graves himself had written for the song. The tune
was also known as the 'Air from County Derry'.
The earliest appearance of the tune in print was
in 1855 in 'Ancient Music of Ireland' by George
Petrie (1789-1866) when it was given to Petrie by
Jane Ross of Limavady in County Derry, who claimed
to have copied the tune from an itinerant piper.
The song became very popular in America where it
was recorded by Bing Crosby. It has been used by
many Irish traditional and even rock musicians
ever since. The famous Irish rock band, Thin Lizzy,
used the music on their 1979 album, 'Black Rose'.
It remains one of the most popular and well known
Irish love songs of all time.
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