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 born in Wexford in 1604. He was one of the earliest and most promising pupils of the Irish College of Louvain. After receiving orders, he returned to Wexford as parish priest. He was consecrated Bishop of Ferns in 1643, and in 1645 was returned as burgess for Wexford to the Parliament of Kilkenny, where his learning, zeal, and enthusiasm before long made him a prominent member. He was one of those who impeached the conduct of General Preston. In 1651 he formed one of the deputation sent to urge the Duke of Lorraine to put himself at the head of the Irish Catholics. At Brussels he had an interview with the Inter-Nuncio, Arnoldi, and was by him reconciled to the Papal court, which had disapproved of his action in reference to the peace of 1648. The negotiations with the Duke of Lorraine came to nought, and as Ireland was then in the throes of the Cromwellian invasion, the Bishop remained upon the Continent. He acted for a short time as Coadjutor Bishop in Paris, and then travelled in different parts of the Continent, and at last found a home with the Archbishop of Santiago, in Spain. There he composed his Latin work, Lucubrations of the Bishop of Ferns in Spain. After the Restoration, a long correspondence ensued between him and Father Walsh on behalf of Ormond, relative to his return to Ireland, which ended in 1665, with the following words: "Seeing that I cannot satisfy my conscience and the Duke together, nor become profitable to my flock at home, nor live quietly and secure, his anger not being appeased, you may know hereby that I am resolved after dog-days to go to Louvain, and there end my days where I began my studies." From Louvain he scattered over the Continent numerous tracts relating to Irish affairs, and there he endowed a bourse of 180 florins a year for the diocese of Ferns. He died at Ghent, 23rd August 1678, aged 73, and was interred in the cathedral. The principal of his numerous works were: A Narrative of the Sale and Settlement of Ireland, Louvain, 1668; The Bleeding Iphigenia, 1674; and The Unkind Deserter of Loyal Men and True Friends, Paris, 1676. The last refers to the Marquis of Ormond. Harris's Ware says: "His writings gave occasion to the Earl of Clarendon of writing his History of the Rebellion and Civil Wars, . . in defence and justification of the Marquis's behaviour." A collected edition of the most important of Bishop French's works was published in 2 vols. 16mo. in Dublin in 1846, with a valuable History of the Irish Colleges of Louvain pre- fixed. A perusal of his works is incumbent upon all students of the history of the War of i641-'52. «° '35 339

Fridolin, Saint, patron of the Canton of Glarus in Switzerland, was an Irish missionary who flourished in the early part of the 7th century. The German form of his name "is to be accounted for by the common practice of translating Celtic names, or accommodating them by transformations, more or less violent, to the genius of the languages spoken in the regions where the Irish missionaries settled." All authorities refer his birth and mission to Ireland, whence he set out as a pilgrim. He is often styled "Viator," which title is borne out by his appearance on the seal and banner of Glarus. He finally settled on the island of Seckingen in the Rhine, above Basle; and there his remains are said to have been buried. His festival is the 6th March, ^^^st

Frye, Thomas, an artist, was born in Ireland early in the 18th century. He painted portraits in London with success, being patronized by several of the Royal Family; and is said to have been the first manufacturer of porcelain in England. He spent fifteen years practising this art at Bow. His constitution was so much impaired by working about furnaces that he was obliged to retire to Wales for a time, and on his return to London he resumed bis profession, devoting himself especially to mezzotint engraving. Frye was carried off by consumption in London, 3rd April 1762. '^^ ^^

Furlong, Thomas, a poet, the translator of Carolan's Remains and other Irish works, was born at Scarawalsh, County of Wexford, about 1794. His education was neglected, and at fourteen he was apprenticed to a grocer in Dublin. His first contributions to literature were probably to the Ulster Register. In 1819 appeared his longest poem, The Misanthrope. Two years later he was instrumental in establishing the New Irish Magazine, wherein many of his minor productions afterwards appeared. In 1825 he joined the Catholic Association, and took a prominent part in the agitation for Catholic Emancipation. His Plagues of Ireland, one of his ablest works, was a pungent satire on the state of parties in Ireland at the time. He died, 25th July 1827, aged 33, and was buried at Drumcondra. He is described as of low stature; his face was refined and marked with care, but lit up by eyes of great brilliancy. One of the most beautiful of his songs, "Loved Land of the Bards and Saints," was written but a few days before his death. "* '^ 215