F. E. (Frederic Edward) Weatherly

Born in 1848, Frederic Edward Weatherly was an English lawyer, author, lyricist, and broadcaster. He is remembered above all for writing the lyrics to “Danny Boy,” and he was also behind other well-known songs including “The Holy City.” Sources describing his life note that he wrote on a huge scale, with estimates running to thousands of songs.

Weatherly studied at Brasenose College, Oxford, and built a professional life in law while writing for the stage and for popular music. That mix of solid day work and creative output helps explain his unusual place in literary and musical history: he was both a working barrister and one of the most prolific songwriters of his time.

He died in 1929, but his words have proved lasting. Even readers who do not recognize his name at first often know the songs, which is part of what makes his story so interesting: the man may have faded from everyday memory, yet his lyrics still travel on.