Genealogy

While one part of my family tree were cattle drovers from Nottinghamshire, I was always told that the Lawlesses were actually scions of nobility from somewhere called "Cloncurry" in Ireland. And today I just found the first evidence of that:

CLONCURRY, a parish, partly in the barony of EAST OPHALY, but chiefly in that of IKEATHY and OUGHTERANY, county of KILDARE, and province of LEINSTER, 4 miles (W. N. W.) from Kilcock; containing 2299 inhabitants.
[...]
The manor became the property of the Aylmer family, whose ancient seat, the castle, was defended for the parliament, in 1643, by Col. Monk, who was at length obliged to abandon it for want of provisions. From the Aylmer family the estate was afterwards purchased by Sir Nicholas Lawless, subsequently created Baron Cloncurry. During the disturbances of 1798, a skirmish took place at the foot of Ovidstown Hill, in this parish, between the king's troops and a party of the insurgents who had effected their escape from the county of Wexford

Here's more on several-greats-granddad Nick.