Patriot, orator, opportunist and hunter: Roscommon MP Arthur French

Robert Hume recalls the life of the Roscommon MP who 'died from pursuing his great passion' 200 years ago today

Arthur French, born in 1765 when George III was king, came from a long-standing gentry family that owned the French Park Estate outside the village of Frenchpark, or Dungar, Co Roscommon.

His father, another Arthur, had prospered from the Dublin wine trade with Bordeaux, where Irish emigrants had established many prestigious chateaux.

In The Post-Chaise Companion or Travellers’ Directory Through Ireland (1786), William Wilson described French Park as “a most beautiful seat with extensive and noble demesnes”; while a writer in The Irish Times of 1937 rated the mid 18th century gates at the entrance to the estate as “the finest specimen of wrought iron work in Ireland”.

The family house, built 1650-67, was an immense three-storey structure of light brick, with two projecting wings built in the early 18th century that were joined to the main block by curved galleries. The south wing incorporated a family chapel, and a petty sessions court was held in a rent-office in the grounds. The house was tended by a large number of staff, with a butler and servants, postillion, whipper-in, and kennel boy all recorded in the ‘Rules to be observed by the servants’ (1771).

Hunting foxes

Fox hunting had taken off during the late 18th century and was popular among the English gentry. In Ireland there were no formal hunt clubs yet. Instead, large landowners, such as French, kept hounds capable of keeping up with foxes on private hunts.

The family’s deer park was extensive, and included a remarkable five-roomed cave, supposed to date from the days of the ancient Druids. But when French took to the saddle he was less interested in chasing deer than in the more exhilarating pastime of hunting foxes.

Fox hunting had taken off during the late 18th century and was popular among the English gentry. In Ireland, there were no formal hunt clubs yet. Instead, large landowners, such as French, kept hounds capable of keeping up with foxes on private hunts. Isaac Weld’s Survey of Roscommon (1832) records how the French’s black and white hounds slept next to the stables at the back of the house: “It is rare to see kennels more thoroughly well arranged; sleeping compartments, feeding compartments, nurseries, besides yards upon yards, all amply provided with water… troughs etc”.

French assumed his place as MP for Co Roscommon in 1783, and sat, as his forebears had, in the Irish House of Commons in Dublin. His position secured, the following autumn he married Margaret Costello from Edmondstown, Co Mayo, and over the next decade, she bore five sons and four daughters. French House came alive with the voices of children.

Loyal to local people

In an attempt to end the unrest in Ireland inspired by the French Revolution and the new democracy of the USA, prime minister William Pitt the Younger was determined to unite the British and Irish parliaments. Arthur French could have secured an earldom had he backed the move, but he remained loyal to the wishes of local people in Roscommon and voted against the union: “The independence of Ireland must always be with us a most favourite object”, he declared, “and to transfer for ever, without consent, the trust you reposed in us for a limited period only, would, in our opinion, be an unjustifiable usurpation”.

After the Act of Union was passed in 1800, French continued to represent Roscommon at Westminster, after 1806 jointly with a second MP, Stephen Mahon.

Over the next two decades, he took advantage of opportunities whenever they arose, acting “as it may be made his interest”, and managing to reap favours for his brother Richard (who was appointed Commissioner of the Board of Works) and his brother George (who became assistant barrister of Roscommon). “Mr Arthur French expects of course payment for his service in coming over” to England, quipped Robert Peel MP, chief secretary for Ireland.

Feisty addresses

Location of French Park

In one of his first parliamentary speeches on March 18, 1801, French criticised the continuation of martial law in Ireland. A large part of the army had been kept in the country after the union to prevent invasion by France and to subdue any further revolution. This was an affront to the liberties of Irish people, he maintained, and he was heartened in 1803 when martial law came to an end after Robert Emmet’s rebellion.

French’s feisty and eloquent addresses certainly caused a stir in parliament, and in January 1802, prime minister Henry Addington named him as one of the few Irish members whose re-election “interested” him.

'An abominable fellow'

Usually, governments found Arthur French manageable. However, when in 1809 he claimed he had the backing of “99 of the 100” Irish MPs against Westminster’s attempts to regulate the illegal unlicensed distillation of poteen spirit, Robert Peel (then MP for Cashel) was furious, calling him “an abominable fellow”.

Continuing to put concerns at home in Ireland first, French was committed to getting rid of penal laws that excluded Catholics from most public offices, and granting them relief. His conviction that Catholics should have the vote and be allowed to sit at Westminster as MPs was supported by Peel but was overruled by King George III.

French painted a highly touching picture of the desperate situation of the Irish tenant farmers that had led to the formation of secret societies such as the Threshers and the Whiteboys, which sought to abolish tithes and refused to pay their landlords the increased rents they demanded.

Excuses, excuses

French Park House

Whenever he could, Arthur French preferred to stay in Ireland. Often this was for personal considerations: for example, since 1797, he had commanded the French Park cavalry, and in 1810, his wife was ill.

In February 1816, he tried again to get out of attending Parliament. His reasons included family business and petty sessions, and then the illness of one of his daughters. But it’s likely that more than anything else he wanted to remain in Ireland so often in order to hunt foxes.

Next year he sent another ‘civil excuse’ to explain why he was unable to return from Ireland to Westminster:

“… first I am by no means well, secondly the state of the country requires my personal attention, thirdly, if I left home, I would not get in my rents, the difficulty attending which is beyond your conception. I have £14,000 due me, and I cannot command £100.”

An extremely popular man among local people, he had for many years been trustee of the Irish linen board which had nurtured and controlled the country’s staple industry for more than a century. In 1819, when he was in his mid-fifties, he received his final accolade when Roscommon governor Maurice Mahon died and French was appointed, if fleetingly, in his place.

By then his health had worsened, and on November 24, 1820, at the age of 55, he died. Could the trials and tribulations of canvassing that spring to retain his parliamentary seat in the general election triggered by George III’s death have led him to an early grave? Hardly: he was re-elected unopposed, by freeholders on his estate, as well as by his many friends whose votes he bought.

Having plunged himself energetically into so many things that life had thrown at him, there just may have been a different explanation for Arthur French’s early death. According to a report in the Gentleman’s Magazine (1820), “after a severe indisposition of a few hours”, he succumbed from “excessive fox-hunting.”