Laurence O'Toole was born in 1125 at Kilkea, County Kildare, Ireland, the youngest of four sons of King Muirchertach Ua Tuathail of the Uí Muiredaig. His mother was an O'Byrne princess of the Uí Fáelán branch of the Uí Dúnlainge. He was Archbishop of Dublin at the time of the Norman invasion of Ireland. He played a prominent role in the Irish Church Reform Movement of the 12th century and mediated between the parties during and after the invasion.

By the time of the birth of Laurence, King Muirchertach became subordinate to the new over-kings from South Leinster, of the Uí Ceinnselaig. From 1126, the king was Diarmait Mac Murchada. At the age of 10, Laurence was sent to King Diarmait as a hostage for his father. However, at one-point Muirchertach's loyalty to King Diarmait must have become suspect as Laurence was imprisoned for some two years in extreme austerity and barely given enough to live on. The relation between Diarmait and Muirchertach were amicably restored due to the intercession of the abbot of Glendalough.

The confinement strengthened the wish of Laurence to enter religious life. The story goes that when Muirchertach arrived at Glendalough for Laurence, he stated that he would draw lots to have one of his sons made a priest, at which Laurence laughed as he had long thought of doing so. No lots were drawn, and Laurence continued to stay at Glendalough.

He became Abbot of Glendalough at the age of 26, in 1154. Through his own example, Laurence brought his spiritual renewal to the church in Ireland and married the best in the Gaelic monastic movement with the best in the Frankish-European liturgical monastic movement.

Laurence began a spiritual renewal programme amongst the monks of the Abbey bringing the Gaelic Abbey of Glendalough in line with the Frankish Abbeys of Continental Europe. He invited the Canons of St Augustine to come and assist in the reform of the Abbey and he became a member of the Augustinian Order himself.

Following the death of Archbishop Gregory in 1162, he was elected unanimously Archbishop of Dublin at the Synod of Clane, at the age of 32. As Archbishop of Dublin, he began a policy of church building and laid the foundation stone for the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity (now Christ Church).

In a city that was in the middle of an economic boom, Laurence, as Archbishop, was seen as the one who stretched out his hand to care for the poor and the neglected. There was appalling poverty in the city at the time and each day Laurence fed the poor of the city in his home. He also established care centres for the children who had been abandoned by their parents or who were orphaned in the city.

He was described as tall and graceful in figure. He was well known as an ascetic, wore a hair shirt, never ate meat, and fasted every Friday on bread and water. In contrast to this, it is said that when he entertained, his guests lacked for nothing while he drank water coloured to look like wine so as not to spoil the feast.

In 1180, he left Ireland and after a stay at the Monastery of Abingdon south of Oxford, he landed at Le Tréport, Normandy. He fell ill and died at Eu, on 14 November 1180.

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