Louisa McCartney Crawford

Louisa Matilda Jane Crawford ( Montagu; 27 September 1789 - 29 December 1857) was an English songwriter. She wrote the lyrics to the popular song "Kathleen Mavourneen" which was set to music by English composer Frederick Crouch. Montagu was an English army officer and naturalist, known for his pioneering Ornithological Dictionary of 1802 and for species such as Montagu's harrier, named for him. Crawford was related to nobility on both sides of her family; her mother was the niece of John Stuart, 3rd Earl of Bute, and her father was the son of Henry Montagu, 1st Earl of Manchester.

In 1798, Montagu left his family and moved to Kingsbridge in Devon to live with his mistress Elizabeth Dorville, wife of John Dorville and daughter of Georg Wolff, with whom he had four more children.

In 1822, Crawford married Matthew Crawford of Middle Temple, a barrister. Julia, and Marion in connection with the song and Crouch was also frequently erroneously credited as the author of the songs lyrics. Amongst Crawford's papers is a poem titled, 'On hearing Miss Catherine Hays [sic], sing Kathleen Mavourneen!' which reads:

"Oh! Sing again sweet maiden sing

That lovely strain which first I heard

When this lone heart was in its spring

And throbb'd to every tender word

Yes! Mem'ry brings those hours again

When seated by her side alone

I bow'd me to the melting strain

And Dermot's woes seemed all mine own.'

Death Crawford died in 1857, of unknown causes,