James Fintan Lalor

James Fintan Lalor (in Irish, Séamas Fionntán Ó Leathlobhair) (10 March 1807 – 27 December 1849) was an Irish revolutionary, journalist, and “one of the most powerful writers of his day.” A leading member of the Irish Confederation (Young Ireland), he was to play an active part in both the Rebellion in July 1848 and the attempted Rising in September of that same year. Lalor’s writings were to exert a seminal influence on later Irish leaders such as Michael Davitt, James Connolly, Pádraig Pearse, and Arthur Griffith.

James Fintan Lalor was born in Tinnakill House (Fintan Lalor always referred to his birthplace as Tenakill), Raheen, County Laois (known at the time as Queen's County) on 10 March 1807. The first son of Patrick "Patt" Lalor and Anne Dillon (daughter of Patrick Dillon of Sheane near Maryborough). Patrick and Anna were to have twelve children. Patrick was to become the first Catholic M.P. for Laois in 1832 - 1835, and was to lead a campaign of passive resistance to the payment tithes. Patrick was to out live his eldest son by six years, dying in 1856, and his mother Anna was to die in 1835, the same year as his brother Joseph.

James was, according to Tomás Ó Néill one of his biographers, a fine healthy baby when born, but as the result of an accident as an infant, was left semi-crippled. Though small for his age, being both pale and delicate, James was to display unexpected strength of body. Though hardy enough he was never sent to school, having private tuition at home instead. This was to continue up until he was seventeen, when it was then decided that he should go to college.

In February 1825 he went to St. Patrick's, Carlow College, the Vice-President of which, Father William Kinsella, was to go on to become the bishop of Ossory. It was Father William himself who welcomed James to the college and introduced him to Maurice Lenihan, who was to be his advisor and guardian. In College James studied both chemistry, under a Mr. Holt and the classics under Father Andrew Fitzgerald. While in college he became a member of the Apollo Society, were literature and music were studied, his favourite author at the time being Lord Bolingbroke.

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