Seán French (1890–1937)

Opening of new Cork City Hall, 8 September 1936

Seán French (29 May 1890 – 12 September 1937) was an Irish politician from Cork city. He was a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (TD) from 1927 to 1932.^[1]

A merchant and harbour commissioner,^[1] French stood unsuccessfully as an anti-Treaty Sinn Féin candidate for Dáil Éireann at a by-election in 1924 for the Cork Borough constituency. When Sinn Féin split in 1926 over the policy of abstentionism, he joined the breakaway Fianna Fáil party, and won the seat at the June 1927 general election — although like other Fianna Fáil TDs, he did not take his seat until 12 August 1927. He was re-elected at the September 1927 election, but did not contest the 1932 general election. He stood one more time, at the 1933 general election, but did not regain his seat.^[2]

He served the city and country in many capacities - as a soldier in the Anglo-Irish War and in the Civil War, as a member of the Legislature, as an active member of almost every public board in Cork. French was a close personal friend of Lord Mayor MacCurtain, who was murdered in his home by British Forces during the Black and Tans regime and of Lord Mayor Terence MacSwiney, who succeeded him in the office and also following his arrest by the same forces, died on hunger strike in Brixton Prison in 1920. Following the death of Lord Mayor MacSwiney, Alderman French was elected Deputy Lord Mayor. He was elected to the Lord Mayors chair in 1924, which he held up to his death with the exception of the years 1930 and 1931. An ardent supporter of the cause of Irish Independence, he joined the Irish Volunteers shortly after their inception, and during the Anglo-Irish war was 'on the run' being much sought by the Black and Tans. He was interned during the Civil War.^[3]

French was Lord Mayor of Cork from 1924 to 1929 and again from 1932 until his death in 1937. French clashed with the Cork Progressive Association (CPA), a lobbyist group made up of businessmen and disgruntled citizens, who had successfully persuaded the government to instigate a public inquiry into the conduct of the Cork Corporation in 1924. French expressed the view that the Government was merely trying discredit the Council for electing a Republican mayor. The sworn inquiry began on 26 August 1924 in the Cork Courthouse. Richard Beamish, TD and city councillor, supported by the CPA, heavily criticised the Corporation’s performance. Sir Stanley Harrington also of the CPA, gave evidence against the Corporation under French’s mayoralty. French disputed the evidence and criticised The Cork Examiner for taking what he believed to be an anti-Corporation stance. Lord Mayor French was aggressively cross-examined by P. F Donegan, solicitor for the CPA, for three days. French often gave short, curt replies. French was also adept at parrying Donegan’s questions. Presenting his evidence, French defended the members of the Corporation, claiming that they were "sincerely doing their best." He also claimed that the people of Cork City were partly to blame for failures on the part of the Corporation, claiming that they were not sufficiently educated on local services and local affairs. French also frequently clashed with the City Manager, Philip Monahan, during his terms as Lord Mayor. His son, also called Seán followed him into politics and served as both Lord Mayor and TD in Cork.^[4][5]

References[]

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