Phil The Fluther’s Ball – a slice of Irish life

Phil the Fluther’s Ball is another irresistible slice of Irish life from Percy French – the man who wrote numerous classic songs such as Mountains of Mourne, Come Back Paddy Reilly to Ballyjamesduff and Abdul Abulbul Amir.

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Percy French songwriter

The song tells the story of a flute player who raised money to pay his rent by holding a ball and passing a hat round as he played.

The ball was a great success and the canny flute player was able to make a tidy profit.
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Song was based on a true story

Phil the Fluther's Ball written by Irish songwriter Percy French
Phil the Fluther

Percy French spent a great deal of time travelling across Ireland, first as an engineer with the Irish Board of Works and then as a painter and musician.

His travels brought him in contact with many local people and he based several of his songs on the stories he heard from them. That’s how Phil the Fluther’s Ball came to be written.

French went to stay in Carrigallen in County Leitrim at the home of a friend called the Rev. James Godley. Godley told him the story of a ball held by a local musician.

French’s account of origins of Phil the Fluther’s Ball

French later wrote about his conversation with Godley. He wrote: “One evening the Rev. James Godley came in after one of his long walks and told me how he had met the local flute player and how he had paid his rent.

‘I’ve paid up all me arrears, yer reverence,’ said Phil the Fluter.

‘And how did you manage that?’ said his reverence.

‘I give a ball.’ said Phil.

Music as a money making exercise

French describes how Godley expressed surprise and pointed out that holding a ball should cost money rather than earn it because it would involve providing food and entertainment for the guests.

Phil, however, had thought of that and had his own approach. He wouldn’t waste money providing food and paying for a piano player. He’d make the guests bring their own food and he would provide the music himself.

Phil’s approach to staging a ball

Phil goes on to describe how he stages a ball. “I clean out me cabin and lock up any food or drink in the cupboard.

“Then I put me hat behind the door. The neighbours come in bringin’ their suppers with them, and each puttin’ a shillin’ or two in the hat.

“Then I cock me leg over the dresser, throw me top lip over the flute and toother away like a hatful o’ larks, and there they stay leppin’ like hares till two in the morning.”

Comedy comes from the colourful characters

Phil the Fluther's Ball by Irish songwriter Percy French
Phil the Fluther’s Ball

Being presented with the idea may have been helpful but Percy French still had lots of work to do to turn the idea into a song.

He sets about the task with great enthusiasm and, as is so often the case with French, the comedy and the fun come from the description of the larger-than-life characters.

Most of the characters he described in the song would have been people French would have known during his life, although he may have changed the names.

Indeed, the characters described are the kind of people to be found in villages all over Ireland in the late 19th century, a factor that helps to give the song such a universal appeal.

Listeners could easily identify with the energetic Mrs Cafferty, the beautiful Miss Brady, little Crooked Pat and little Mickey Mulligan.

Same tune as Delaney’s Donkey

Phil the Fluther’s Ball uses the same tune as Delaney’s Donkey by William Hargreaves.

It was a big success when Percy French first performed it in the 1880s and it remains popular today, having been recorded by several leading performs including The Dubliners and The High Kings.

Phil The Fluther’s Ball
Videos
Lyrics and chords

Links to other songs by Percy French
Mountains of Mourne
Abdul Abulbul Amir
Come Back Paddy Reilly
McBrean’s Heifer
Phil the Fluther’s Ball
Percy French – the songwriter

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