O'Toole (family)

The O'Tooles of Leinster, one of the leading families of that province, are decended from Tuathal mac Augaire, King of Leinster who died in 958. The name is an anglicization of the Irish ó Tuathail.

Their original territory comprised the southern part of the present County Kildare but they were driven from it during the Anglo Norman invasion and settled in the mountains of what is now County Wicklow around Glendalough.

Here, with their kinsmen, the O'Byrnes they were noted for their resistance to English domination for four centuries. Throughout their history the family were famous as soldiers, from fighting the English in the glens of Wicklow to serving in the armies of other European countries in the 18th century. Sergeant O'Toole of the 9th Queens Royal Lancers of the British Army was awarded a Victoria Cross for conspicuous bravery in the Zulu War on July 3rd, 1879.

A branch of the O'Tooles are also settled in counties Galway and Mayo.

Notable members

*Saint Laurence O'Toole was an archbishop of Glendalough and in 1171 AD, while he was Archbishop of Dublin he took up arms against the Anglo Norman invaders.
*Colonel John O'Toole of the Irish Brigade in France was created a count and is the ancestor of the present Count O'Toole of Limoges.