Career
He was a Fianna Fáil Teachta Dála (Territorial Decoration) from 1927 to 1932. A merchant and harbour commissioner, French stood unsuccessfully as an anti-Treaty Sinn Féin candidate for Dáil Éireann at a by-election in 1924 for the Cork Borough constituency. 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.
French was Lord Mayor of Cork from 1924 to 1929 and again from 1932 until his death in 1937.