St. Laurence o’Toole

Laurence 0’Toole Feast Day: November 14 th Place of Birth: Mullaghcreelan between Castledermot and Kilkea Year of Birth: 1128 Father: Murtagh O’Toole,chieftain of the southern half of present Co.Kildare,an area then called Hy Murray. Mother: Dervail O’Byrne ,daughter of a local chieftain. Family: 8 children,1 daughter and 7 sons. Laurence was youngest son. Famous Relation: Mor, his sister married Dermot Mac Murrough, King of Leinster.

Dermot Mac Murrough Dermot Mac Murrough was famous because he invited the Normans such as Strongbow to Ireland in 1169. Dermot was a large ,violent,cruel,war loving man hated by strangers and feared by his own people.

Laurence’s Young Days Maurice O’ Toole was not on friendly terms with Donagh O’Connor,chieftain of Offaly. To ensure both families got on well together,baby Laurence was sent to live with Donagh O’Connor and his family. This was an old Irish custom. It was known as Fosterage.

Laurence as a Hostage Laurence was 10 in 1138. His father ,as only a local chieftain ,had to obey Dermot Mac Murrough,King of Leinster. Dermot demanded a hostage from him. Maurice gave him his son Laurence as a hostage. For a time Laurence lived in Dermot’s castle,until the day his father refused to obey an order from Dermot. Then Laurence was forced to live in a dilapidated,leaky hut on only enough bread ,greens and water to keep him alive for 2 years.

The Resue Laurence was 12 in 1140. The Bishop of Glendalough helped Dermot and Laurence’s father to come to an agreement. Dermot agreed to exchange Laurence for 12 of his own soldiers who had been captured by Laurence’s father Maurice O’Toole. The exchange took place in Glendalough Monastery in Co. Wicklow. St. Kevin founded this monastery centuries earlier.

Laurence Abbot of Glendalough Maurice was so delighted to have Laurence back,he agreed to send one of his sons there to be educated. Laurence agreed to go to school in Glendalough. He later became a monk there. In 1158 he was elected Abbot of Glendalough by the monks. This means he was in charge of the monastery. During a famine in that part of Wicklow,he fed the hungry who were starving. In the monastery,he had to run a school,orphanage and hospital.

Laurence Archbishop of Dublin In 1162 he was appointed Archbishop of Dublin. He oversaw the building of many churches,most importantly Christ Church Cathedral, He never ate meat and fasted every Friday on bread and water. Every day he fed 30 people at his table. Sometimes he had over 300 orphans to look after. He was a peacemaker,tried to arrange peace between Irish,Vikings and Normans in Dublin.

The Normans Remember Dermot Mc Murrough King of Leinster had asked Henry the Second King of England and Normandy (part of France) to send Normans like Strongbow to Ireland. He wanted him to help him fight his great enemy Rory O’Connor High King of Ireland. He promised Strongbow his daughter Aoife in marriage and he would become King of Leinster when he died,

The Normans attack Dublin In 1170 Dermot and Normans led by Strongbow attack Dublin. Despite the presence nearby of the High King of Ireland Rory O’Connor with an army of 30000 men ,Dublin is captured by the Normans. Laurence rallied the people in vain to resist the Normans. He pleaded with the Normans to have pity on the people of Dublin. Despite his efforts,700 men,women and children were slaughter.

The Irish attempt to recapture Dublin Rory O’Connor High King of Ireland joins forces with other Irish chieftains and attacks the Normans in Dublin. Laurence O’Toole is said to have organised this. The Normans in Dublin sent him to negotiate peace with Rory. Rory with his large army was in no mood to negotiate. Alas 600 Normans launched a surprise attack on the Irish and drive his pooly armed soldiers into headlong flight. Strongbow and the Normans keep control of Dublin. Rory O’Connor was the last Ard Ri na hEireann High King of Ireland.

The Good of His People Laurence saw the Normans could not be defeated. When Henry the second came to Dublin in 1171 Laurence accepted him as his overlord. On Christmas Day 1171 Henry attended mass in Christ Church Cathedral.

Visit to Cantebury in England In 1175 he went to Cantebury to meet Henry. As he was offering mass in Cantebury,a maniac ,who had heard of his piety(holiness) ,wanted to make a martyr of St Laurence. He smashed him in the head with a heavy stick. Everyone present concluded he was dead. But he came to a short while later and he asked for a bowl of water which he blessed and he asked that his wounds be washed with it. The blood stopped immediately and he got up and said mass. When he died 5 years later in France,the fracture was to be seen in his neck.

Visit to Rome In 1179 St. Laurence and 6 other Irish bishops went to Rome. He met Pope Alexander the third. He gave the The Pope an account of the state of affairs in Ireland. The Pope appointed him Papal Legate In Ireland.

His Final Days In 1180 Laurence went to England to see Henry -----. Rory O’Conor the last High King of Ireland, asked him to settle a dispute between him and Henry ---. Henry refused to meet him and took himself off to Normandy in France. For three weeks Laurence waited in England for Henry to return, but in vain. Laurance decided to follow him to France. In France he contracted faver. He kept travelling until he came to the Abbey of ---- Here after three days, he died on Friday 14th Noverber. He was just 52. Laurance was buried at -----.

Celebrations in Castldermot 1980 In 1980 we celebrated the 800th anniversary of the death of Saint Laurance O’Toole. To commemorate the occasion a lecsture on sdthe life of the saint and the history of the parish was given by Father Kennedy, historian. A granite boulder has been erected at Mullaghcreen and eight trees were planted there. A group of people from Eu visited Castldermot.

Reminders of Laurance in Castldermot A panel in the rose window in the Church of the Assumption, Castldermot A stained glass window in Kilkea Church which also commorates the saint. Levitstown Church is dedicated to Saint Laurence.

South Kildare (Hy-Murray) after Laurence’s Death. Strongbow granted the territory of Hy-Murray to Walter de Riddlesford, on of his knights, Strongbow, perhaps, condidered he had a right to this district. His wife Aoife was grand-daughter of O’Toole, and niece of St. Laurence O’Toole,