James Lynam Molloy facts for kids

Quick facts for kids James Lynam Molloy
Born	James Lynam Molloy (1837-08-19)19 August 1837 near Rahan, County Offaly, Ireland
Died	4 February 1909(1909-02-04) (aged 71) Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England
Era	19th century Irish songs, folk songs
Known for	The Kerry Dance, Love's Old Sweet Song
Spouse(s)	Florence Emma Baskerville
Children	3

James Lynam Molloy (born August 19, 1837 – died February 4, 1909) was an Irish composer, poet, and author. He wrote many popular songs. People at the time really liked his music. One person even said his songs would be remembered long after other "art-songs" were forgotten. He is especially known for "The Kerry Dance" and "Love's Old Sweet Song."

About James Lynam Molloy

James Lynam Molloy was a talented Irish artist. He wrote music, poems, and books. His work became very popular in the late 1800s. He created songs that many people loved to sing and listen to.

His Early Life

James L. Molloy was born near Rahan in County Offaly, Ireland. He went to St Edmund's College (Ware) from 1851 to 1855. His brother, Bernard, also went there. Bernard later became a member of parliament, which is a person elected to make laws.

After college, James studied at the Catholic University in Dublin. He graduated in 1858. He continued his studies in London, Paris, and Bonn. Around 1863, he settled in London. He had earned a law degree, but he chose a different path.

A Different Career Path

Even though James Molloy had a law degree, he never worked as a lawyer. Instead, he became a private secretary. He worked for the person who was the attorney general at the time. An attorney general is the main legal advisor to the government.

He also worked as a war correspondent for a newspaper called the London Standard. This meant he reported on wars from the battlefield. He covered the Franco-Prussian War. He traveled a lot, especially in France. From 1880, he lived in Henley-on-Thames, a town near London.

Writing Popular Songs

Molloy started writing songs in 1865 when he was 28. But his music career really took off later. This happened with the regular ballad concerts in London during the 1860s and 1870s. Ballads are songs that tell a story.

Famous Songs and Collaborations

Some of his most famous songs include:

• Clochette (1867)
• Thady O'Flynn (1869)
• Eily's Reason (1871)
• Darby and Joan (1878)
• Love's Old Sweet Song (1884)

"Love's Old Sweet Song" was a huge hit for many years. Sailors especially loved it. The famous writer James Joyce even mentioned it in his book Ulysses. Another writer, Conan Doyle, also referenced it in his book His Last Bow.

Molloy worked with W. S. Gilbert on several songs. Gilbert was famous for writing operettas, which are like light operas. Their collaborations included Thady O'Flynn, Corisande (1870), and Eily's Reason.

Irish-Inspired Music

From early on, Molloy wrote songs about Ireland. Even if they didn't use traditional Irish melodies, they became very popular. In the early 1900s, some of his Irish songs became so well-known that people thought they were old folk songs.

Two of his most famous Irish songs are:

• The Kerry Dance (1879)
• Bantry Bay (1889)

He wrote both the words and the music for these songs.

Why His Music Was Special

Many writers of his time thought Molloy's songs were better than average. A review from 1867 said his songs were good for "drawing-rooms." This meant they were suitable for singing at home. But the review also said they were deeper than most songs written for young ladies at the time.

The song Don't be Sorrowful, Darling (1874) was described as a "simple little ballad, with a great deal in it." People felt the music and words were very heartfelt.

Molloy was good at writing popular songs that also had artistic quality. A poet named Fred Weatherly wrote about Molloy after he died. Weatherly said Molloy's songs would be remembered long after other "superior" songs were forgotten.

His Book and Later Life

In 1874, James Molloy also wrote a book. It was called Our Autumn Holiday on French Rivers. He died in Henley-on-Thames in 1909.

Molloy in Literature

James Molloy's song "The Kerry Dance" appears in the famous memoir Angela's Ashes. This book was written by Frank McCourt. In the story, McCourt remembers his mother singing "The Kerry Dance." She sings it when she picks him up from a friend's house. His father, Dennis, had been her dancing partner before she moved to America. Frank and his mother sing parts of the song together. In the audio version of the book, Frank McCourt himself sings the song.

This category has articles on people who were born in the year 1837.
See also: 1837 deaths.

This category has articles on people who died in the year 1909.
See also: 1909 births.

Category:19th-century classical composersCategory:19th-century Irish peopleCategory:Irish classical composersCategory:Irish expatriates in the United KingdomCategory:Irish male songwritersCategory:Musicians from County OffalyCategory:People associated with Gilbert and SullivanCategory:People educated at St Edmund's College, Ware