General Notes

[elisha.ged]
SURN French
GIVN Martin
_UID 2A5CCCA1FE20D5118F77C27786718F40FCED
Wealthy Norman descended family, Patrick French was the 1st Mayor ofGalowa
y.
1424 Two families of the name settled at different periods in Galway, thef
irst, with Walter French, in the reign of Hen. Vl. about the year 1425,a
nd the other, with Henry Begg Ffrench, in the reign
of Elizabeth; sincewhich time, they have ranked amongst the most consider
able in theProvince. The family of Castle Ffrench, near Ahascragh, in t
he County ofGalway, was r~ised to the dignity of the
Peerage, in the year 1798. TheRight Honorable Charles Baron Ffrench, of C
astle Ffrench is the presentLord. The other branches of this respectable n
ame, are those ofBallinahalla, now of Beagh,
Carrorea, Elmhill, Ffrenchgrove, Monivea,Portcarn, Rahasane and Tyro
ne in the County of Galway, ~allykeneave andCulliane in the Gunty of May
o, and Foxborough, Frenchpark, Port,Rocksavage and
Snipehill, in the Gunty of Roscommon 36a Arms. Ermine, achevron, sable. C
rest. A Dolphin, embowed, upon rocks, proper.37 Motto.One heart, one
mind.http://www.wombat.ie/galwayguide/archive.cgi/history/hardiman/c1.htm
l
THE HISTORY OF GALWAY, PART I
THE ANCIENT STATE OF THE TOWN, AND ITS CIVIL AND MILITARY HISTORY, TO THEP
RESENT TIME.
CHAPTER I.
"The new colonies, here alluded to, consisted of several families, whosede
scendants, are known to this day, under the general appellation of the"tri
bes of Galway," an expression, first invented by
Cromwell's forces,as a term of reproach against the natives of the tow
n, for their singularfriendship and attachment to each other during the ti
me of theirunparalleled troubles and persecutions, but
which, the latter afterwardsadopted, as an honorable mark of distincti
on between themselves and thosecruel oppressors. These families were thirt
een,[[21]] in number, viz.Athy, Blake, Bodkin, Browne,
D'Arcy, Ffont, Ffrench, Joyes, Kirwan,Lynch, Martin, Morris and Skerret
t. They did not settle in the town atone time, or on the same occasio
n, as is generally supposed; but camehither, at different
periods, and under various circumstances, as mayappear from the followi
ng concise account of each of the familiescomposing this peculiar communit
y, which has been compiled from the mostauthentic
documents. "
"Ffrench
This family is descended from Sir Maximilian Ffrench, the first of thenam
e, whose descendants accompanied their kinsman, William the Conqueror,in
to England.[[35]] Their original place of settlement
in Ireland,together with many other English and Anglo-Norman adventurer
s, was theCounty of Wexford;[[36]] from whence, in process of time, they g
raduallyspread throughout the other parts of the
Kingdom. Two families of thename settled at different periods in Galwa
y, the first, with WalterFrench, in the reign of Hen. Vl. about the year 1
425, and the other, withHenry Begg Ffrench, in the
reign of Elizabeth; since which time, theyhave ranked amongst the most co
nsiderable in the Province. The family ofCastle Ffrench, near Ahascrag
h, in the County of Galway, was raised tothe dignity of
the Peerage, in the year 1798. The Right Honorable CharlesBaron Ffrenc
h, of Castle Ffrench is the present Lord. The other branchesof this respec
table name, are those of Ballinahalla, now of
Beagh,Carrorea, Elmhill, Ffrenchgrove, Monivea, Portcarn, Rahasane and Ty
ronein the County of Galway, Ballykeneave and Culliane in the County of Ma
yo,and Foxborough, Frenchpark, Port, Rocksavage and
Snipehill, in the Guntyof Roscommon [[36a]] Arms. Ermine, a chevron, sabl
e. Crest. A Dolphin,embowed, upon rocks, proper.[[37]] Motto. One heart, o
ne mind. "
--------------------------------------------------------------------------
------
from Melissa Thompson Alexander ma.da@@gte.net.  Not all information verifi
ed and documented.  Please use this as a guide and contact me or the sour
ce for more information. I am actively mak