Alfred Perceval Graves

Alfred Perceval Graves (July 22, 1846 - December 27, 1931), was an Irish writer.The journalist Philip Graves (by his first marriage to Jane, eldest daughter of James Cooper of Cooper Hill, Co. Limerick), the poet and scholar Robert Graves and the writer Charles Patrick Graves were his sons, the last two by his second marriage to Amy, daughter of Heinrich von Ranke. His grandfather, John Crosbie Graves, was a first cousin of 'Ireland's most celebrated surgeon', Robert James Graves.

Life and work

He was born in Dublin on 22nd July, 1846, the son of The Rt. Rev Charles Graves, bishop of Limerick, by his wife Selina, the daughter of John Cheyne (1777-1836), the Physician-General to the Forces in Ireland. Alfred was educated in England at Windermere College, and Dublin University. His paternal grandmother was a Perceval, and the granddaughter of the Earl of Egmont.

In 1869 he entered the Civil Service as clerk in the Home Office, where he remained until he became an inspector of schools in 1874 . He was a contributor of prose and verse to the "Spectator", "The Athenaeum", "John Bull", and "Punch magazine".

He took a leading part in the revival of Irish letters. He was for several years president of the Irish Literary Society, and was the author of the famous ballad of "Father O'Flynn" and many other songs and ballads. In collaboration with Charles Stanford he published "Songs of Old Ireland" (1882), "Irish Songs and Ballads" (1893), the airs of which are taken from the Petrie MSS.; the airs of his "Irish Folk-Songs" (1897) were arranged by Charles Wood, with whom he also collaborated on "Songs of Erin" (1901).

References

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External links

* [http://www.libraryireland.com/Irish-Folk-Songs/Contents.php/ Songs of Old Ireland: A Collection of Fifty Irish Melodies] with words by Alfred Perceval Graves and music arranged by Charles Villiers Stanford
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