Andrew Cherry was born the eldest son of John Cherry, a
printer and bookseller, on 11 January 1762. He was born
on the site of the former post office on Bridge Street
and was raised a member of the Society of Friends
(A.K.A Quaker). He received a good education in
Limerick, as his parents wished for him to enter the
holy orders, but instead at the age of eleven he was
apprenticed to James Potts, a printer, in Dame Street,
Dublin.
From a young age Andrew acquired a taste for the stage.
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Andrew Cherry was born the eldest son of John Cherry, a
printer and bookseller, on 11 January 1762. He was born
on the site of the former post office on Bridge Street
and was raised a member of the Society of Friends
(A.K.A Quaker). He received a good education in
Limerick, as his parents wished for him to enter the
holy orders, but instead at the age of eleven he was
apprenticed to James Potts, a printer, in Dame Street,
Dublin.
From a young age Andrew acquired a taste for the stage.
This was partially due to James Potts love of the arts,
who would seldom attend the theatre without young
Andrew with him. At fourteen Andrew Cherry made his
first appearance as Lucia in the tragedy Cato in a
large room at the Blackmoor’s Head, Tower Street,
Dublin. At 17 he abandoned his apprenticeship to take
up theatre life full time. He played his first
independent performance in Naas, in a company of
strolling players (which consisted primarily of
runaways), only to return to Dublin after a short
interval, half-starved and penniless. This did not
deter him and after a few years’ steady work, he
joined the company of theatrical which was managed by
Richard Knipe. After Knipe’s death Andrew Cherry
married his daughter. He travelled with a company of
actors through Ireland for about 6 years where he was
known as Little Cherry.
Andrew Cherry’s opera, The Outcast (1796), was
produced in Drury Lane, London. At Belfast he acquired
considerable reputation, and in 1797 he won success at
the Theatre Royal, Dublin. He then accepted engagements
in England, and his performance at Bath was pronounced
“as finished a picture of the scenic art as had ever
been performed on their boards.” In 1802 he appeared
at Drury Lane, London and in 1804 produced The
Soldier’s Daughter. Other pieces followed, and he
continued to act at Drury Lane until it was burned down
in 1809.
After this Andrew took a company to Wales, with Edmund
Kean as leading actor. He died at Monmouth on the 7th
of February 1812, aged 50. Crosbie Row is also called
Cherry Place after Andrew Cherry.
His best known song was The Dear Little Shamrock of
Ireland, which was brought into the 20th century by
Irish tenor John McCormack.