Tombstone of French Family (formerly of Farmhouse, Bannow)

Thomas French who departed this life
May 21st 1825
Aged 102 years.Lawrence French (a rebel of 1798) who died on 30th April 1830.
Aged 89 years.Here lies the body of Walter French his grandfather who departed this life on the 14th January 1701.
Aged 140 years.The story is told in Bannow that the above Walter French was hale and hearty and active to the last and able to attend to his daily work on the land. The story of his end is as follows.
He went one day with a horse and cart to Wexford and stabled in the Rope Walk yard. In the evening he yoked the horse in the yard to set out for home. He put his wares in the car and was about to life a big bunde of iron rods on to the car. He let it fall to the ground and the noise frightened the horse. Before he could get to the horses head the animal dashed to the gate, out on the road and galloped off for home.
French took up the iron on his back and raced after him - he kept in view of him all the time but never took on him till he reached the yard. He was never the better of this and they say it affected his heart and he died soon after.