Article from the Tuam Herald, Saturday, November 8, 1913:

THE FAMILY OF FRENCH: GALWAY BRANCH.

We have been favoured by the Very Rev. the Provost of Tuam, Rector of Monivea, with the following interesting supplement to our account of the above family which appeared in last week's issue:—

It appears from Hardiman's history of Galway that "two families of the name of Ffrench settled at different periods in Galway, the first with Walter ffrench, about 1425, in the reign of Henry VI; and the other with Henry Begg ffrench, in the reign of Elizabeth."

Robert ffrench, of the town of Galway, left issue, a son, Patrick Begg ffrench, who was seized in fee of the Castle of Monivea, and other lands in the barony of Tiaquin, Co. Galway, before 1619. His will is dated 8 Feb. 1615. He executed a settlement of the said lands 1 Nov. 1622 and died 1630 when his son and heir, Robert, was of full age and married.

Robert ffrench, of Monivea Castle, was dispossessed of the Castle and lands in 1655 by the Cromwellian Commissioners who allotted them to Mathias, 5th Lord Trimlestown, upon his transplantation from Meath to Connaught.

Patrick ffrench, of Monivea Castle, re-purchased the estates from 11th Lord Trimlestown. He conformed Protestant an Dec. 20, 1709, and was M.P. for Co. Galway 1713–14. He married Jane, 1st daughter of Simon Digby, Bishop of Elphin.

Robert ffrench, of Monivea Castle, J.P., was educated at Oxford, and entered the Life Guards. High Sheriff Co. Galway. He married Nichola Maria, daughter of Sir Lucius O’Brien, 3rd bart. of Dromoland, in the year 1799.

Robert ffrench, eldest son of the above, was born 1799, and married, in 1830, Katherine Eleanor, daughter of of the late Nicholas Browne, of Mount Hazel, and by her had issue, Robert Percy, his heir, and Acheson Sydney, J.P. and L.L. Co. Galway. This latter married Annie, daughter of Henry Blake, of Winfield, who died Nov. 1st, 1906.

Robert Percy ffrench, of Monivea Castle, was educated at Rugby School, and served in the Diplomatic Service from 1842–1878. He died at Naples in 1896, leaving an only child, Kathleen Emily Alexandra, now of Monivea.

It is an unalloyed pleasure to feel that we have still among us, resident at the Castle, a representative of this ancient and distinguished family, Mr Acheson S. ffrench, one of the most respected and popular gentlemen in the Co. Galway—a thorough sportsman, a genial companion, a trusted friend; sans peur, et sans reproche.

Information below by Jean Lombard on her Book - An Irish Woman in Czarist Russia

The story of the Ffrenches in Ireland began in the 12th Century, when their ancestor came in the company of the Anglo-Norman nobleman Strongbow. Strongbow married the daughter of the King of Leinster, and eventually became king himself. He rewarded his loyal men with lands of their own, the Ffrenches settling in County Wicklow.

It was not until the 16th Century that the family moved west and bought the lands of the O’Kelly family, building onto the fortifications of the O’Kelly castle and establishing Monivea House.

By the late 19th Century the land was rich and productive, and another Robert Ffrench was employing the trappings of their wealth to extend his family’s high social connections, travelling round Europe and coming home with a Russian bride of noble blood.

Robert had only one child, a daughter, Catherine/Kathleen. Catherine was a determined woman who never settled into the Victorian ideal of husband, home and hearth. Instead, she took on the task of restoring her family’s Russian lands as her forefathers had restored those in Ireland. For many years she lived in Russia, organising the workers on her land, and gradually the estate returned to profit.

But just as she was finishing her task there and beginning to reap the rewards, she almost lost her life in the Russian revolution. The lands were all seized, and in the end she was lucky to escape with her life.

Book by Denis A. Cronin 

This book gives an excellent insight  into Robert French (1716–79), MP, barrister  and landlord, of Monivea, Co. Galway. The book captures in detail  Roberts improvement to his land, the building of a church and charter school and  the creation of the Linen industry in Monivea,