Lawler Family Origin

    The Lawler family is descended form Milesuius, King of Spain, through the line of
his fifth son, Ir, and belongs to the Clanna Rory tribe, founded by Heber Donn, son of
Ir. The founder of the Lalor family was the famous warrior, Conal Kearhach, son of
Amergin and who gave his name to the tribe in Ulser, B. C. 87. 
 The ancient name was Lalach, signifying "The Giant".

    The possessions of the sept were located in present counties of Down and queen
County, Irelannd.

    The O'Lalors--in Irish Leathlabhair--took their name from Leathlabhor, Prince of
Dolaradia, or Ulidia (now the county of Down in the tenth Century), who was their
ancestor.
      In ancient times they had extensive prossessions in Leix, in the barony of
Stradbally, Queens County.
Bec Ua Leathlabhair--O'lalor-Lord of Dal-Araidhe, who died in the year 904, was
one of the most renowned Irish princes of his age.

    Another family of this name, and also of this race, was seated at Dysert-Enos, in
the present Queens County. Major General O'Lalor of the Spanish Service,
Honorary Companion of the Order of the Bath, and Patrick O'Lalor, Esq.,
ex-member of Parliment, of Tinnakill, Queens are given by Dr. O'Donovan, writing
a few years ago, as belonging to this later family.

    There have been many distinguished members of both branches of the family, both
previous and subsequent to the Anglo-Norman invasion.

    On the occasion of the infamous massacre of Mullaghmast, in the year 1577, when
some hundreds of the most peaceable of the Irish gentry were invited on the public faith,
and under protection of the Government, and then ruthlessly slaughtered by their
supposed hosts, the O'Lalors were one of the families invted for the extermination. 

   The few who survived the blood day owed their escape to one Harry Lalor, who,
remarking that none of those returned who had entered the fort before him, desired his
companions to make off as fast as they could, in case they did not see him come back.
Lalor, as he as enteringt the fort, saw the bodies of his slaughtered companions, them 
(sic) drawing his sword he fought his way back to those that survived, with whom he
made excape to Dysart.
    Those murdered at Mullagjhmast on that fatal day were some of the seven septs of
Leix, and some gentleman of the Keathings. The seven septs of the Leix were the 

 O'Lalors, the O'Mores, the O'Kellys, the dovoys (sic), the Macaboys, the O'Dorans
and the O'Dowlings.