Photograph of Arthur Colahan. Copyright Leicester Mercury.
ARTHUR COLAHAN, Musician and Composer, 1885-1952
The Blue Plaque is located at the site of his home, 9 Prebend Street, Leicester.
Arthur Colahan was born in Galway, Ireland (some sources now say on 12 August 1884). He took up medicine as a career, and served in the British Army's Medical Corps in India in the First World War. After the war, Colahan worked as a psychiatrist and consultant neurologist to Welford Road Prison, Leicester.
In his leisure time, he turned to music, writing many Irish songs such as 'Cade Ring' and 'Macushla Mine'.
He also wrote 'Galway Bay', one of the world's best known melodies and a song made famous by Bing Crosby. Arthur Colahan died at his home in Prebend Street on 15 September 1952, and was buried in Galway.
