Frederick Edward Weatherly (1848-1929) was an English lawyer, author, songwriter and radio entertainer. He wrote the lyrics of the well-known ballad Danny Boy which is set to the tune A Londonderry Air. Other famous works by Weatherly are Roses from Picardy and The Holy City.

Frederick Weatherly was born in Somerset and graduated from Oxford University with a law degree in 1871. Whilst at Oxford, Weatherly studied at Bracenose College. He is reported to have helped out members of the Brasenose IV, who had practiced for Henley Regatta without a cox. When they were told they had to have one, Weatherly volunteered to start the race with them and immediately jump out of the boat. He did so and the team won - although they were later disqualified.

Multi-talented, in addition to his law practice, he also wrote adult Science Fiction/Fantasy novels and more than fifty children's books plus hundreds of songs. Beatrix Potter's first signed illustrations were published in A Happy Pair, a book of verse written by Weatherly.

Weatherly wrote the song "Danny Boy" in 1910, but it did not meet with much success. In 1912 his sister-in-law in America sent him an old Irish tune called the "Londonderry Air", which he had never heard before. The tune matched his lyrics almost perfectly. He published the now-famous song in 1913.

Frederick Weatherly