Katy French
Encyclopedia
Katy Ellen French was an Irish
socialite
, model, writer, television personality and charity worker. According to the BBC
, "in the space of less than two years, she had become one of Ireland's best-known models and socialites." She collapsed at a friend's house on 2 December 2007 and died on 6 December. A post mortem examination determined that she had suffered brain damage, and that traces of cocaine
were found in her body.
, Switzerland
, to parents Janet (from Britain
) and John (from Australia
) French. She moved with her family to Ireland aged two, briefly living in the Sandyford
area before settling in Enniskerry
, County Wicklow
, and later to Stillorgan
, County Dublin
. French attended Alexandra College
in Milltown
, Dublin, from the age seven. While still in school she worked part time as a hostess at the Dublin branch of the Planet Hollywood
restaurant chain.
and Suzuki
among many other brands, becoming more famous in 2007 as a result of her fiancé, restaurateur Marcus Sweeney, ending their relationship in a very public fashion after French was photographed for a lingerie
shoot for the Sunday Independent
in his restaurant in January of that year. As a result of this publicity, her image appeared more regularly in daily Irish tabloid newspapers and she made numerous television appearances on shows such as RTÉ's The Podge and Rodge Show
in April 2007 and Tubridy Tonight
a week before her death. French was known for deliberately courting controversy to promote her career. On Tubridy Tonight she spoke of her appearance on Celebrities Go Wild as well as her relationship break up with Sweeney. Mention was also made of her birthday party which she was to celebrate the following week, having missed her birthday due to Celebrities Go Wild. Host Ryan Tubridy
was invited to the event. Footage was shown of the charity single "Down in the Bog" which was to be released as a Christmas single. She worked for several Irish charities including Crumlin Children's Hospital and GOAL GOAL in Calcutta, India
. She wrote a column for Social & Personal magazine.
In an interview with Hot Presss Jason O'Toole
, she said that she would consider having an abortion
if she became pregnant during the peak of her career, a controversial claim in Ireland where abortion is effectively illegal, and that she loved fur despite being a "massive animal lover". She also aired her religious beliefs (she was a member of the Church of England
but also practised Catholicism
) and spoke highly of Islam
and her Muslim friends saying, "When you read the Koran
, you realise that Islam is a beautiful religion". In the same interview she was asked if she had ever used cocaine and denied ever having done so. In November 2007, French told an Irish tabloid that she had used cocaine
, but had stopped. The week before she died, she celebrated her 24th birthday with celebrity and media friends.
, in County Meath
, having collapsed at a house in Kilmessan
, County Meath, in the early hours of Sunday 2 December. There was widespread speculation in the media that her death was the result of a drug overdose. A post mortem found she had suffered brain damage, and that traces of cocaine were found in her body. A senior Garda
stated "We strongly suspect that drugs contributed to her death. This was a previously healthy person being brought to hospital in a collapsed state." In 2010 two people were charged with supplying cocaine to Katy French and in failing to get medical assistance in a timely fashion. She was buried in her hometown of Enniskerry
, County Wicklow
, on 10 December. The Taoiseach
's aide de camp, Captain Michael Tracey, attended her funeral.
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
socialite
Socialite
A socialite is a person who participates in social activities and spends a significant amount of time entertaining and being entertained at fashionable upper-class events....
, model, writer, television personality and charity worker. According to the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
, "in the space of less than two years, she had become one of Ireland's best-known models and socialites." She collapsed at a friend's house on 2 December 2007 and died on 6 December. A post mortem examination determined that she had suffered brain damage, and that traces of cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
were found in her body.
Early life
French was born in BaselBasel
Basel or Basle In the national languages of Switzerland the city is also known as Bâle , Basilea and Basilea is Switzerland's third most populous city with about 166,000 inhabitants. Located where the Swiss, French and German borders meet, Basel also has suburbs in France and Germany...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, to parents Janet (from Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
) and John (from Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
) French. She moved with her family to Ireland aged two, briefly living in the Sandyford
Sandyford
Sandyford is a suburb of Dublin, located in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County, Ireland. A major part of Sandyford today is composed of the Sandyford Industrial Estate and related developments.- Location and access :...
area before settling in Enniskerry
Enniskerry
Enniskerry is a village in County Wicklow, Ireland. It had a population of 2,672 at the 2006 census.- Location :...
, County Wicklow
County Wicklow
County Wicklow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
, and later to Stillorgan
Stillorgan
Stillorgan , formerly a village in its own right, is now a suburban area of Dublin in Ireland. Stillorgan is located in Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County, and contains many housing estates, shops and other facilities, with the old village centre still present...
, County Dublin
County Dublin
County Dublin is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Dublin Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the city of Dublin which is the capital of Ireland. County Dublin was one of the first of the parts of Ireland to be shired by King John of England following the...
. French attended Alexandra College
Alexandra College
Alexandra College is a private, single-sex school located in Milltown, Dublin, Ireland. It serves girls from ages 4 to 19 as boarding or day pupils. The school is one of the most prestigious in Ireland and ranks highly in Leaving Certificate results tables...
in Milltown
Milltown, Dublin
Milltown , Dublin 6, Ireland, is a suburb on the southside of Dublin. The townland got its name well before the 18th or 19th century. Both Milltown and Clonskeagh were "Liberties" of Dublin, following the English invasion and colonisation in 1290....
, Dublin, from the age seven. While still in school she worked part time as a hostess at the Dublin branch of the Planet Hollywood
Planet Hollywood
Planet Hollywood, a restaurant inspired by the popular portrayal of Hollywood, was launched in New York on October 22, 1991, with the backing of Hollywood stars Sylvester Stallone, Bruce Willis, Demi Moore, and Arnold Schwarzenegger.-History:...
restaurant chain.
Career
French studied psychology and marketing before working for the Assets Modelling Agency and later writing articles for several Dublin magazines and newspapers. She represented Sony EricssonSony Ericsson
Sony Ericsson Mobile Communications AB is a joint venture established on October 1, 2001 by the Japanese consumer electronics company Sony Corporation and the Swedish telecommunications company Ericsson to manufacture mobile phones....
and Suzuki
Suzuki
is a Japanese multinational corporation headquartered in Hamamatsu, Japan that specializes in manufacturing compact automobiles and 4x4 vehicles, a full range of motorcycles, all-terrain vehicles , outboard marine engines, wheelchairs and a variety of other small internal combustion engines...
among many other brands, becoming more famous in 2007 as a result of her fiancé, restaurateur Marcus Sweeney, ending their relationship in a very public fashion after French was photographed for a lingerie
Lingerie
Lingerie are fashionable and possibly alluring undergarments.Lingerie usually incorporates one or more flexible, stretchy materials like Lycra, nylon , polyester, satin, lace, silk and sheer fabric which are not typically used in more functional, basic cotton undergarments.The term in the French...
shoot for the Sunday Independent
Sunday Independent
The Sunday Independent is a broadsheet Sunday newspaper published in Ireland by Independent News and Media plc. The newspaper is edited by Aengus Fanning, and is the biggest selling Irish Sunday newspaper by a large margin ; average circulation of 291,323 between June 2004 and January 2005,...
in his restaurant in January of that year. As a result of this publicity, her image appeared more regularly in daily Irish tabloid newspapers and she made numerous television appearances on shows such as RTÉ's The Podge and Rodge Show
The Podge and Rodge Show
The Podge and Rodge Show is an Irish chat show, broadcast and produced by RTÉ, featuring the popular Podge and Rodge as hosts...
in April 2007 and Tubridy Tonight
Tubridy Tonight
Tubridy Tonight is an Irish chat show hosted by Ryan Tubridy that aired for five series on RTÉ One between 2004 and 2009. The programme featured guest interviews , audience participation and live music from both a guest music group and the house band...
a week before her death. French was known for deliberately courting controversy to promote her career. On Tubridy Tonight she spoke of her appearance on Celebrities Go Wild as well as her relationship break up with Sweeney. Mention was also made of her birthday party which she was to celebrate the following week, having missed her birthday due to Celebrities Go Wild. Host Ryan Tubridy
Ryan Tubridy
Ryan Tubridy , affectionately known as "Tubs", is an Irish broadcaster and writer, a presenter of live shows on radio and television in Ireland. He has been described as "one of Ireland's most gifted broadcasters"...
was invited to the event. Footage was shown of the charity single "Down in the Bog" which was to be released as a Christmas single. She worked for several Irish charities including Crumlin Children's Hospital and GOAL GOAL in Calcutta, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
. She wrote a column for Social & Personal magazine.
In an interview with Hot Presss Jason O'Toole
Jason O'Toole (journalist)
Jason O'Toole is an Irish author and journalist. He writes a weekly interview column, "The Jason O'Toole Interview", for the Irish Mail on Sunday and the Irish Daily Mail...
, she said that she would consider having an abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
if she became pregnant during the peak of her career, a controversial claim in Ireland where abortion is effectively illegal, and that she loved fur despite being a "massive animal lover". She also aired her religious beliefs (she was a member of the Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
but also practised Catholicism
Catholicism
Catholicism is a broad term for the body of the Catholic faith, its theologies and doctrines, its liturgical, ethical, spiritual, and behavioral characteristics, as well as a religious people as a whole....
) and spoke highly of Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
and her Muslim friends saying, "When you read the Koran
Qur'an
The Quran , also transliterated Qur'an, Koran, Alcoran, Qur’ān, Coran, Kuran, and al-Qur’ān, is the central religious text of Islam, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God . It is regarded widely as the finest piece of literature in the Arabic language...
, you realise that Islam is a beautiful religion". In the same interview she was asked if she had ever used cocaine and denied ever having done so. In November 2007, French told an Irish tabloid that she had used cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
, but had stopped. The week before she died, she celebrated her 24th birthday with celebrity and media friends.
Death
French died on the evening of 6 December 2007 in Our Lady's Hospital, NavanNavan
-People:Navan was the childhood home of Pierce Brosnan, who appeared in the television series Remington Steele and was the fifth film actor to play James Bond. TV personality Hector Ó hEochagáin, and comedians Dylan Moran and Tommy Tiernan also hail from Navan....
, in County Meath
County Meath
County Meath is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the ancient Kingdom of Mide . Meath County Council is the local authority for the county...
, having collapsed at a house in Kilmessan
Kilmessan
-References:...
, County Meath, in the early hours of Sunday 2 December. There was widespread speculation in the media that her death was the result of a drug overdose. A post mortem found she had suffered brain damage, and that traces of cocaine were found in her body. A senior Garda
Garda Síochána
, more commonly referred to as the Gardaí , is the police force of Ireland. The service is headed by the Commissioner who is appointed by the Irish Government. Its headquarters are located in the Phoenix Park in Dublin.- Terminology :...
stated "We strongly suspect that drugs contributed to her death. This was a previously healthy person being brought to hospital in a collapsed state." In 2010 two people were charged with supplying cocaine to Katy French and in failing to get medical assistance in a timely fashion. She was buried in her hometown of Enniskerry
Enniskerry
Enniskerry is a village in County Wicklow, Ireland. It had a population of 2,672 at the 2006 census.- Location :...
, County Wicklow
County Wicklow
County Wicklow is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Mid-East Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It is named after the town of Wicklow, which derives from the Old Norse name Víkingalág or Wykynlo. Wicklow County Council is the local authority for the county...
, on 10 December. The Taoiseach
Taoiseach
The Taoiseach is the head of government or prime minister of Ireland. The Taoiseach is appointed by the President upon the nomination of Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Oireachtas , and must, in order to remain in office, retain the support of a majority in the Dáil.The current Taoiseach is...
's aide de camp, Captain Michael Tracey, attended her funeral.
See also
Further reading
- O'Toole, Jason, The Last Days of Katy French, Merlin Publishing, Dublin, 2009.
External links
- Official Katy French website set up by Janet and Jill French
- Katy French's last television interview, 24 November 2007.
- Irish women attack me just because I'm not afraid of my sexuality, Sunday Independent interview with Katy French, 21 October 2007.
- I've worn a few hot bras in my time -- but I've never burnt one, Sunday Independent interview with Katy French, 4 November 2007.
- French's appearance on The Once a Week Show 22 September 2007. RTÉ. Accessed 21 November 2008.