Career
A musician himself, French McMahon took great interest in the church pipe organ and its construction. Although not born into wealth he was left a small legacy which he invested in real estate which gave him considerable wealth, he was noted for his business acumen (the New York Times called him the Richest priest in American in his Obituary), he donated his wealth to Church organisations and Educational bodies in his latter years.
In 1891 he moved to The Catholic University of America(CUA) in Washington and remained there until he died on April 15, 1901.
He donated money to the Catholic University of American (some $400,000) and the McMahon Hall was built (for $250,000) in 1895 for the School of Philosophy, also in Maynooth he funded the construction of the Aula Maxima completed in 1893. His papers were left to the CUA.
