al ▁Per cy ▁French , ▁an ▁album ▁devoted ▁entirely ▁to ▁the ▁work ▁of ▁the ▁Irish ▁song writer . ▁From ▁then ▁on , ▁O ' D ow da ▁became ▁closely ▁identified ▁with ▁French ' s ▁songs . ▁He ▁created ▁a ▁one - man ▁show ▁around ▁the ▁life ▁and ▁work ▁of ▁Per cy ▁French . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 1 , ▁his ▁bi ography ▁of ▁the ▁composer , ▁The ▁World ▁of ▁Per cy ▁French , ▁was ▁published . ▁ ▁O ' D ow da ▁enjoyed ▁considerable ▁international ▁recognition . ▁He ▁tou red ▁the ▁USA , ▁appearing ▁on ▁The ▁Ed ▁S ull ivan ▁Show . ▁He ▁appeared ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁film ▁A live ▁and ▁K ick ing ▁as ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁three ▁sing ers ▁of ▁the ▁title ▁song . ▁He ▁performed ▁a ▁du et ▁with ▁Ruby ▁Murray ▁on ▁the ▁sound track ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 5 9 ▁film ▁Dar by ▁O ' G ill ▁and ▁the ▁Little ▁People . ▁ ▁Personal ▁life ▁and ▁death ▁O ' D ow da ▁was ▁married ▁first ▁to ▁She ila ▁Kelly ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 8 ▁and ▁their ▁son ▁D erm ot , ▁publish er ▁of ▁' Vis ions ▁of ▁Hi ber nia ' ▁now ▁lives ▁in ▁C ork . ▁This ▁marriage ▁ended ▁in ▁divor ce ▁and ▁O ' D ow da ▁later ▁married ▁June ▁Nad ine , ▁a ▁dan cer ▁with ▁the ▁T iller ▁girls , ▁who ▁bore ▁him ▁two ▁sons , ▁Br end an ▁and ▁C iar an . ▁O ' D