Looking Back: Farrier John ffrench

Two really interesting photographs, from Ray ffrench in the UK. The one above is his father John ffrench on a motorbike, with Terry Devlin at the back holding it. Ray thinks it might have been for a Fancy Dress event, taken in the early 1950s. Which would fit with the tent, possibly part of the Kilcullen Parish Carnival?

The one below is of a young John ffrench in Nicholastown, with an equally young Paddy Aspell, and a dog with no name. Ray thinks it was taken in the 1940s.

"Dad moved to England in the late 50s and forged a successful career as a blacksmith and Farrier," he says. "He and his dad had the forge which is now An Tearmann. He shod many famous horses — Mandarin, Mill House, Mill Reef (filling in for his friend Tom Reilly), Bula, Lanzarote, Crisp, and Rheingold. he also shod three Grand National winners on the bounce — Team Spirit, Jay Trump and Anglo — plus many more.

"We never went on holiday, we always 'went home' in the holidays, which meant Kilcullen and Connemara, with stop offs in Castle Keeley and the Curragh. I was over pre covid and think the town has never looked better — thanks to the dedicated team of volunteers."

Ray lives near Newbury. The ffrenchs and the Aspells were very good friends, especially with Paddy's brother Matty, who lived in Pangbourne where he was a very successful building contractor.


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