Castle ffrench

THE FFRENCHES OWNED 5,025 ACRES OF LAND IN COUNTY GALWAY

The common ancestor of the Barons ffrench and the Barons de Freyne was WALTER FFRENCH, who migrated from Wexford and settled in the town of Galway in 1425. He was Sovereign (Chief Magistrate) of that town, 1444 to 1445.

From him descended JOHN FFRENCH, Mayor of Galway, 1538-9, who added the wing to the church of St Nicholas, Galway, called "ffrench's Aisle," and built a beautiful side chapel in the Franciscan Abbey in Galway. He also erected the stone building which stood on arches over the river at Galway, called "John ffrench's Chamber."

This munificent patron of the Church died in 1545, leaving two sons,

Dominick;

ROBUCK.

The younger son,

ROBUCK FFRENCH, Mayor of Galway, 1582-3, died in 1598, leaving issue, two sons,

EDMUND;

Walter.

The elder son,

EDMUND FFRENCH, Mayor of Galway, 1606-7, died about 1618, leaving two sons,

Dominick;

JOHN.

The younger son,

JOHN FFRENCH, purchased before 1636, the castle and lands of Clogher (now called Castle ffrench) in the baronies of Kilconnell and Killyan, County Galway, and died in 1642, leaving a son,

JASPER FFRENCH, of Clogher, who was deprived of his estate in 1655 by the Cromwellian Commissions, who allotted it to Dr Gerald Fennell and Ellen his wife.

In 1671, Jasper ffrench repurchased the estate from Ellen the widow, and got a confirmatory grant in 1677 by patent under the Acts of Settlement.

He rebuilt the castle in 1683.

Jasper ffrench had two sons,

Patrick;

MARTIN.

The younger son,

MARTIN FFRENCH, of Clogher, was father of

THOMAS FFRENCH, of Clogher, who wedded, in 1717, Clara, daughter of Charles Hamilton, of Fairfield, County Galway, and had, with other issue,

Martin;

CHARLES, of whom we treat;

Anne.

Mr ffrench died in 1755. His second son,

CHARLES FFRENCH, of Castle ffrench (otherwise Clogher), Mayor of Galway, 1773-4, was created a baronet in 1779, designated of Castle ffrench, County Galway.

He married, in 1761, Rose, daughter of Patrick Dillon, of Killeen, County Roscommon, and had issue,

THOMAS HAMILTON, his successor;
Jane; Catherine.

Sir Charles died in 1784, and his widow,

ROSE, LADY FFRENCH, was elevated to the peerage, in 1798, in the dignity of BARONESS FFRENCH, of Castle ffrench, County Galway, for services rendered to the Government by her son, with remainder to her issue by her late husband, Sir Charles.

Her ladyship died in 1805, and was succeeded by her only son,

SIR THOMAS FFRENCH, 2nd Baronet (c1765-1814), who wedded, in 1785, Margaret, eldest daughter of Thomas Reddington, of Kilcornan, County Galway, and had issue,

CHARLES AUSTIN, his successor;
Thomas;
Martin;
Nicholas;
Gonville;
Rose; Sarah; Margaret.

Sir Thomas, who succeeded to the barony of ffrench on the demise of his mother, in 1805, was a Roman Catholic, and a most strenuous supporter of the system of complete emancipation, so as to preclude religious distinctions from interfering with civil rights.

He was also an eminent banker, and the embarrassments which occurred previously to his decease are said to have hastened that event, which happened in 1814.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

CHARLES AUSTIN, 3rd Baron (1786-1860),  who espoused, in 1809, Maria, daughter of John Browne, and had issue,

THOMAS, his successor;
MARTIN JOSEPH, 5th Baron;
John;
Margaret Mary.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

THOMAS, 4th Baron (1810-92), DL, who married, in 1851, Mary Anne, daughter of Richard Thompson, though the marriage was without issue, and he was succeeded by his brother,

MARTIN JOSEPH, 5th Baron (1813-93), JP, a barrister, who wedded, in 1862, Catherine Mary Anne, daughter of John O'Shaughnessy, and had issue,

CHARLES AUSTIN THOMAS ROBERT, his successor;
John Martin Valentine Joseph, father of the 7th Baron;
Ellen Mary Anne Josephine; Maria Anne Josephine Catherine;
Frances Mary Anne Catherine Josephine; Margaret Elizabeth Mary Anne Josephine.

His lordship was succeeded by his eldest son,

CHARLES AUSTIN THOMAS ROBERT, 6th Baron (1868-1955), who espoused firstly, in 1892, Margaret, daughter of Matthew James Corbally, and had issue, an only child, MARTIN JOSEPH MATTHEW (1893-4), who died in infancy.

He married secondly, in 1951, Catherine Elizabeth, daughter of Sir Christopher John Nixon Bt, without further issue, when the title devolved upon his cousin,

PETER MARTIN JOSEPH CHARLES JOHN, 7th Baron (1926-86), who espoused, in 1954, Katherine Sonya, daughter of Major Digby Coddington Cayley, and had issue,

ROBUCK JOHN PETER CHARLES MARIO, his successor;
Rose Sophia Iris Mary; Clare Katherine Grace Mary.

His lordship was succeeded by his son,

ROBUCK JOHN PETER CHARLES MARIO, 8th Baron (1956-), of Clonbrock, Ahascragh, County Galway, who married, in 1987, Dörthe Marie-Louise, daughter of Captain Wilhelm Schauer, and has issue,

Tara Elise Sophia Eleonora, born in 1993.

CASTLE FFRENCH, Ahascragh, County Galway, is a noble mansion, ashlar-faced, comprising three storeys over a high basement.

There are two adjoining fronts.

The house, built in 1779 for Sir Charles ffrench, Mayor of Galway.

There were two other buildings in the vicinity of the present house, dating from the 16th and 17th centuries.

The present mansion has a five-bay entrance front, including a three-bay breakfront.

The pilastered doorcase has a fanlight; and the roof has a parapet with urns.

The side elevation comprises three bays, with a four-bay rear elevation.

Castle ffrench is renowned for its fine plasterwork in the reception rooms, adorned with foliage, trophies, Irish harps, birds etc.

During the early 1800s the 2nd Baron ffrench lost a considerable amount of money as a result of the negligence of his bank manager; and the family fortune suffered another misfortune following the Irish famine, when the 3rd Baron refused to collect rents from his tenants.

Consequently Castle ffrench had to be sold.

It was, however, re-purchased by the parents of the 6th Baron in 1919.

First published in October, 2019.