Baron de Freyne is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom.
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Baron de Freyne, of Coolavin in the County of Sligo, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created 1851 for Arthur French, 1st Baron de Freyne, with remainder to his younger brothers John, Charles and Fitzstephen. He had earlier represented County Roscommon in the House of Commons and later served as Lord Lieutenant of County Roscommon. French had already been created Baron de Freyne, of Artagh in the County of Roscommon, in 1839, also in the Peerage of the United Kingdom but with normal remainder to heirs male. Lord de Freyne was childless and on his death in 1856 the barony of 1839 became extinct. He was succeeded in the barony of 1851 according to the special remainder by his younger brother John, the second Baron.
On his death the title passed to another brother, Richard, the third Baron. In 1851 he married Catherine Maree, daughter of Luke Maree, by a Catholic priest. Afterwards a question arose as to the validity of the marriage with she being a Roman Catholic and he a Protestant and they were again married in 1854 in the Church of Ireland. By then they had had three sons, Charles French (1851–1925) (Member of Parliament for County Roscommon), John French (1853–1916) and William French (1854–1868). However, due to the uncertainty over the first marriage Lord de Freyne was succeeded by his eldest son born after the marriage of 1854, Arthur French, the fourth Baron. His eldest son, the fifth Baron, was killed in action at the Battle of Aubers Ridge in 1915. He was succeeded by his half-brother, the sixth Baron. As of 2010[update] the title is held by the latter's grandson, the eighth Baron, who succeeded his father in 2009.
The French family is descended from John French, of French Park, County Roscommon, nicknamed "Tierna More" (the great landowner). He sat in the Irish House of Commons for Carrick, County Galway and Tulsk. His son, Arthur French, represented County Roscommon in the Irish Parliament. His elder son, John French, was a member of the Irish Parliament for County Roscommon. He was about to be raised to the Peerage of Ireland as Baron Dangar in 1775 but died before the peerage was formally created. His younger brother Arthur French (1728–1799), member of the Irish Parliament for County Roscommon, refused the offer of the peerage originally intended for his brother. His son Arthur French (d. 1820) was also a member of the Irish House of Commons for County Roscommon. His eldest son was the first Baron de Freyne. Fitzstephen French, youngest brother of the first Baron, was Member of Parliament for County Roscommon.
The ancestral seat of the Barons de Freyne was the French Park Estate, near Boyle, County Roscommon, in the Republic of Ireland. The manor house, originally built in the mid-17th century before being rebuilt in the Georgian style in the 18th century was demolished after the sale of the estate by the French family to the Irish Land Commission in 1952. The Land Commission removed the roof of the buildings in 1953 and eventually demolished the remaining structures in ca 1975.
The heir apparent is the present holder's son, the Hon. Alexander French (b. 1988)