Percy French artwork to go under hammer

The 'Irish Landscape' water-colour was painted in 1906 and is signed by Co Roscommon-born French

The 'Irish Landscape' water-colour was painted in 1906 and is signed by Co Roscommon-born French

A rare painting by renowned Irish songwriter Percy French goes under the hammer at Sotheby's in London next week.

The water-colour was painted in 1906 and is signed by Co Roscommon-born French, who wrote The Mountains of Mourne.

The painting, which has a guide price of €2,200, is included in the auction of 19th-century British and continental paintings at the Olympia saleroom on Thursday.

One of French's most famous songs is Are Ye Right There Michael, which ridiculed the West Clare Railway and later led to a failed libel action by the rail company.

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Sotheby's expert Michael Grist said: "French was quite a character as he often used to paint pictures on a whim to pay room bills. He had a great love for the Irish landscape and it featured strongly in his early work."

A civil engineer by profession, French worked as as an inspector of drains in Co Cavan while writing most of his songs. He died from pneumonia in 1920 at the age of 65. He is buried in Formby in Lancashire.

Next week's sale also features a painting by Belfast-born artist James Humbert Craig which has a guide price of €7,300.

Sotheby's set a world record price for an Irish painting in 2001 when Portrait of Gardenia St Georgeby Sir William Orpen sold for €3 million.