song ridiculing the state of the rail system in rural County Clare caused such embarrassment to the rail company that – according to a persistent local legend – it led to a libel action against French. According to the story, French arrived late at the court, and when questioned by the judge he responded "Your honour, I travelled by the West Clare Railway", resulting in the case being thrown out. In January 1920, when he was 65 years old, French became ill while performing in Glasgow. He died from pneumonia in Formby, England at the home of his cousin, Canon Richardson of Green Lea, College Avenue, on 24 January 1920. His grave is in the churchyard of St Luke's Church, Formby, Merseyside. Memorials In 1988, The Oriel Gallery sponsored a seat erected by the OPW opposite 35 Mespil Road, on the canal, Dublin. French lived there from 1894-1900 with his second wife and family. When he moved there, he sent out a communication to his friend: 'We have come to live by the canal, Do drop in!' A sculpture of a park bench and plaque depicting his likeness by Brid Ni Rinn was installed on the spot where French was inspired to write "The Mountains of Mourne" in Red Island Park, Skerries, County Dublin, in 2008. A statue of French sitting on a park bench in the town centre of Ballyjamesduff honours him and his song Come Back, Paddy Reilly, to Ballyjamesduff. In March 2020, a memorial to French was unveiled in Newcastle, County Down, in sight of the Mountains of Mourne, to mark the centenary of his death. Family After French's job at the Board of Works in Cavan ended, he was made editor of a new comic magazine, The Jarvey, by Richard J. Mecredy, publisher and editor of The Irish Cyclist since 1886. It was located at Middle Abbey Street, Dublin. French had been contributing comic pieces to The Irish Cyclist all through his Cavan years. He married Ethel ("Ettie") Kathleen Armitage (Armytage) Moore in June 1890 on the strength of his income from The Jarvey. Ettie contributed highly accomplished drawings to it and wrote a gossip column called "Chit Chatters". Bernadette Lowry has found many references to this column and other pieces from The Jarvey in Finnegans Wake by James Joyce. In her groundbreaking discoveries, she argues that French is the overarching model for the main hero