He was born in Liverpool, and grew up in Dungar, now Frenchpark, County Roscommon. He was the second son of the wealthy landowner Colonel John French, nicknamed An Tiarna Mór (the Great Lord). His mother was Anne Gore, daughter of Sir Arthur Gore, 1st Baronet.
While his father"s wealth and connections no doubt helped him in his career, he also owed much to his mother"s family, in particular to his uncle George Gore, justice of the Court of Common Pleas.
Trinity College.
He attended the local school in Roscommon, matriculated from the University of Dublin in 1708, took his degree of Bachelor of Arts in 1715 and was made Doctor of Law in 1730. He entered the Middle Temple in 1710 and was called to the Irish Bar in 1717. He sat in the Irish House of Commons as member for Jamestown, County Leitrim from 1727 to 1745.
This put the Crown in an awkward position.
Gore, although he was not regarded as an especially good judge was personally very popular, whereas French was both a bad lawyer and personally most unpopular. However since Gore was clearly unable to continue with his duties, the Crown reluctantly agreed to appoint French.
French"s conduct as a judge fully justified the official misgivings: an anonymous satire refers to "snarling, bridling, self-corroding French" and asked where his like for ignorance could be foundation He retired in 1761 and died in 1772.
He was buried in Saint Michan"s Church, Dublin.
