Landed Estates
University of Galway

French (Frenchlawn & Frenchbrook)

Martin J. Blake writes that the ancestor of this branch of the French family was Simon A. Hyacinth French of Frenchbrook near Elphin, county Roscommon, second son of Arthur French of Tyrone, county Galway and his wife, Sarah Farrell. Arthur French succeeded his father and married Arabella O'Rourke in 1765. In 1774 his sister Jane married Captain Joseph Burke of London and Auberries, great uncle of Sir Bernard Burke, Ulster King of Arms and author of Burke's Peerage and Landed Gentry. Arthur and Arabella French are stated to have had six sons, including Robert Henry French of Innfield and later of Kiltullagh, Arthur French of Carney Castle, Jeffrey Martin French of Rocksavage and Toomona and William French of Frenchlawn. Martin J. Blake writes that Jeffrey M. French married a sister of Peter O'Connor of Toomona and succeeded his brother-in-law at Toomona. He had a daughter, Maria French of Larchgrove, who in the 1870s is recorded as owning 665 acres in county Roscommon. HIs son Arthur succeeded his uncle at Carney Castle, parish of Cloghprior, county Tipperary. In the mid 19th century Eliza French held three townlands in the parish of Cloghprior, barony of Lower Ormond, a total of 1,062 acres according to Daniel Grace. Following her death in 1873 Carney Castle was sold to George Arthur Waller of Prior Park. It would appear from the sale rental of June 1873 that Carney Castle was advertised for sale by her daughters, Maria Falkiner, Adelaide Kelly and Louisa Metcalfe and her son-inlaw, John George Malone. Previously the estate of Stephen Metcalfe and his wife Louisa, at Carneywoodlands and Carneybrack, barony of Lower Ormond, was advertised for sale. In 1788 Robert Henry French married a Miss Donnellan and had a son, Robert French of Larchgrove. Other descendants intermarried with the Brownes of Mount Browne, Strokestown and Clonfad and Martin J. Blake states that some family members were living at Dangan in the early 20th century. The Frenchlawn branch of the family occupied their estate up to the early 19th century. Papers in the National Archives seem to indicate financial difficulties after this as a receiver was appointed. By the time of Griffith's Valuation, Frenchlawn was part of the Sandford estate and was being leased by the Glancey family.

Associated Families

Houses

Name Townland Civil Parish PLU DED Barony County Map Ref  
Rocksavage Knockadangan Athleague Roscommon Athleague West 74 Athlone Roscommon OSI Ref: M862 591
OS Sheet: 41
Discovery map: 40 		Photo of Rocksavage
Frenchlawn Frenchlawn Ballintober Castlerea Ballintober 60 Castlereagh Roscommon OSI Ref: M711741
OS Sheet: 34
Discovery map: 39 		Photo of Frenchlawn
Toomona Toomona Ogulla Strokestown Ogulla 97 Roscommon Roscommon OSI Ref: M809 800
OS Sheet: 28
Discovery map: 33
Carney Castle Carneycastle Cloghprior Nenagh Cloghprior 8 Lower Ormond Tipperary OSI Ref: R875 899
OS Sheet: 10
Discovery map: 59

Archival sources

  • Receiver's accounts for the estate of R.H. French, barony of Castlereagh, 1820-1, 1841. M.3035.; National Archives of Ireland
  • Map of estate of Capt. Caulfield French, Castleteheen & Kiltuloge, county Roscommon, 1906. 15 A 20 (2); National Library of Ireland
  • Copy of marriage settlement of Bernard Fallon of Woodberry, Co Galway and Mary French of Frenchlawn, Co Roscommon, 25 Feb 1829. D 27,080; National Library of Ireland
  • Tomana preliminary report & Toomana House photos. 150/092 & 076/087; Irish Architectural Archive
  • Landed Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Falkiner, Kelly, Malone & Metcalfe, 6 June 1873, Vol 110 (24), MRGS 39/051, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland
  • Landed Estates’ Court Rentals (O’Brien), Metcalfe, 17 Apr 1866, Vol 81 (7), MRGS 39/039, (microfilm copy in NUIG); National Archives of Ireland

Contemporary printed sources

Modern printed sources