County Laois ( ; gle, Contae Laoise) is a
county
A county is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesChambers Dictionary, L. Brookes (ed.), 2005, Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, Edinburgh in certain modern nations. The term is derived from the Old French ...
in
Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
. It is part of the
Eastern and Midland Region
The Eastern and Midland Region has been defined as a region in Ireland since 1 January 2015. It is a NUTS Level II statistical region of Ireland (coded IE06).
NUTS 2 Regions may be classified as ''less developed regions'', ''transition ...
and in the
province
A province is almost always an administrative division within a country or sovereign state, state. The term derives from the ancient Roman ''Roman province, provincia'', which was the major territorial and administrative unit of the Roman Empire ...
of
Leinster
Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ir ...
. It was known as Queen's County from 1556 to 1922. The modern county takes its name from
Loígis
Loígis () is the name of an Irish tribe, as it is called by contemporary scholars. Formerly, scholars generally called the tribe ''Laoighis'' or ''Laeighis'' in Irish, ''Lagisia'' in Latin, and ''Leix'' in English. Loígis is also the name of the ...
, a medieval kingdom. Historically, it has also been known as County Leix.
Laois County Council
Laois County Council ( ga, Comhairle Chontae Laoise) is the authority responsible for local government in County Laois, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for housing and co ...
is the
local authority
Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-loca ...
for the county. At the 2022 census, the population of the county was 91,657,
[ an increase of 56% since the 2002 census.
]
History
Prehistoric
The first people in Laois were bands of hunters and gatherers who passed through the county about 8,500 years ago. They hunted in the forests that covered Laois and fished in its rivers, gathering nuts and berries to supplement their diets.
Next came Ireland's first farmers. These people of the Neolithic period (4000 to 2500 BC) cleared forests and planted crops. Their burial mounds remain in Clonaslee
Clonaslee () is a village in north County Laois, Ireland, situated in the foothills of the Slieve Bloom Mountains on the R422 Mountmellick to Birr road. Clonaslee is approximately 100 km west of Dublin, and is close to the towns of Portla ...
and Cuffsborough.
Starting around 2500 BC, the people of the Bronze Age lived in Laois. They produced weapons, tools and golden objects. Visitors to the county can see a stone circle
A stone circle is a ring of standing stones. Most are found in Northwestern Europe – especially in Britain, Ireland, and Brittany – and typically date from the Late Neolithic and Early Bronze Age, with most being built from 3000 BC. The be ...
they left behind at Monamonry, as well as the remains of their hill forts at Clopook and Monelly. Skirk, near Borris-in-Ossory, has a Bronze Age standing stone and ring fort. The body of Cashel Man indicates that ritual killing took place around 2000 BC.
The next stage is known as the pre-Christian Celtic Iron Age. For the first time, iron appeared in Ireland, showing up in the weapons used by factions who fought bloody battles for control of the land. At Ballydavis, archaeologists have discovered ring barrows that date from this time period.
The county name derives from Loígis
Loígis () is the name of an Irish tribe, as it is called by contemporary scholars. Formerly, scholars generally called the tribe ''Laoighis'' or ''Laeighis'' in Irish, ''Lagisia'' in Latin, and ''Leix'' in English. Loígis is also the name of the ...
, of which the modern county is only a part. In the 11th century, its dynastic rulers adopted the surname Ua/Ó Mórdha. They claimed descent from a member of the Red Branch Knights.
By the first century AD, the western third of Laois was part of the Kingdom of Ossory
Osraige (Old Irish) or Osraighe (Classical Irish), Osraí (Modern Irish), anglicized as Ossory, was a medieval Irish kingdom comprising what is now County Kilkenny and western County Laois, corresponding to the Diocese of Ossory. The home of t ...
. The eastern part was divided roughly into seven parts, which were ruled by the Seven Sept
A sept is a division of a family, especially of a Scottish or Irish family. The term is used in both Scotland and Ireland, where it may be translated as ''sliocht'', meaning "progeny" or "seed", which may indicate the descendants of a person ( ...
s of Loígis
Loígis () is the name of an Irish tribe, as it is called by contemporary scholars. Formerly, scholars generally called the tribe ''Laoighis'' or ''Laeighis'' in Irish, ''Lagisia'' in Latin, and ''Leix'' in English. Loígis is also the name of the ...
: O’More (O’Moore), O’Lalor, O’Doran, O’Dowling, O’Devoy (O’Deevy), O’Kelly and McEvoy.
Introduction of Christianity
When Ireland was Christianised
Christianization ( or Christianisation) is to make Christian; to imbue with Christian principles; to become Christian. It can apply to the conversion of an individual, a practice, a place or a whole society. It began in the Roman Empire, conti ...
, holy men and women founded religious communities in Loígis
Loígis () is the name of an Irish tribe, as it is called by contemporary scholars. Formerly, scholars generally called the tribe ''Laoighis'' or ''Laeighis'' in Irish, ''Lagisia'' in Latin, and ''Leix'' in English. Loígis is also the name of the ...
. St. Ciarán of Saighir (called "The Elder" to distinguish him from the younger St. Ciarán of Clonmacnoise
Saint Ciarán of Clonmacnoise (c. 516 – c. 549), supposedly born Ciarán mac an tSaeir ("son of the carpenter"), was one of the Twelve Apostles of Ireland and the first abbot of Clonmacnoise. He is sometimes called Ciarán the Youn ...
) founded his monastic habitation in the western Slieve Bloom Mountains
The Slieve Bloom Mountains ( ga, Sliabh Bladhma; la, Bladinae montes) is a mountain range in Ireland. They rise from the central plain of Ireland to a height of 527 metres. While not very high, they are extensive by local standards. The high ...
as the first bishop of Ossory
The Bishop of Ossory () is an Episcopal polity, episcopal title which takes its name after the ancient of Kingdom of Ossory in the Provinces of Ireland, Province of Leinster, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. In the Roman Catholic Church it remain ...
, reputedly before St. Patrick. His mother Liadán had an early convent nearby at what is now Killyon. Between 550 and 600, St. Canice founded Aghaboe Abbey and St. Mochua founded a religious community at Timahoe. An early Christian community lived at Dun Masc or Masc's fort, on the Rock of Dunamase.
The Synod of Rathbreasail
A synod () is a council of a Christian denomination, usually convened to decide an issue of doctrine, administration or application. The word ''synod'' comes from the meaning "assembly" or "meeting" and is analogous with the Latin word meani ...
that established the Irish dioceses was held near Mountrath
Mountrath () is a small town in County Laois, Ireland. The town lies on the R445 midway between Dublin and Limerick, exactly 96.5 km (60 mi) from both cities. The town was bypassed by the M7 motorway in 2010 leading to a significant ...
in 1111, moving the Church away from its monastic
Monasticism (from Ancient Greek , , from , , 'alone'), also referred to as monachism, or monkhood, is a religion, religious way of life in which one renounces world (theology), worldly pursuits to devote oneself fully to spiritual work. Monastic ...
base. As religious orders with strong ties to Rome replaced older religious communities, the wooden buildings of the early Christian churches in Laois gave way to stone monasteries. The Augustinians
Augustinians are members of Christian religious orders that follow the Rule of Saint Augustine, written in about 400 AD by Augustine of Hippo. There are two distinct types of Augustinians in Catholic religious orders dating back to the 12th–13 ...
and Dominicans established themselves at Aghaboe Abbey, while the Cistercians
The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Saint ...
took over an older religious community at Abbeyleix.
Norman invasion
The Norman invasion of Ireland
The Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland took place during the late 12th century, when Anglo-Normans gradually conquered and acquired large swathes of land from the Irish, over which the kings of England then claimed sovereignty, all allegedly sanc ...
in 1169–71 affected Laois as it was a part of the Kingdom of Leinster
Leinster ( ; ga, Laighin or ) is one of the provinces of Ireland, situated in the southeast and east of Ireland. The province comprises the ancient Kingdoms of Meath, Leinster and Osraige. Following the 12th-century Norman invasion of Ire ...
. In Laois, the fortress on the Rock of Dunamase was part of the dowry of the Irish princess Aoife, who was given in marriage in 1170 to the Norman warrior Strongbow. Advancing Normans surveyed the county from wooden towers built on top of earthen mounds, known as motte
A motte-and-bailey castle is a European fortification with a wooden or stone keep situated on a raised area of ground called a motte, accompanied by a walled courtyard, or bailey, surrounded by a protective ditch and palisade. Relatively easy to ...
s. They also built stone fortresses, such as Lea Castle, just outside Portarlington. Several of the county's towns were first established as Norman boroughs, including Castletown, Durrow and Timahoe.
From 1175 until about 1325, Normans controlled the best land in the county, while Gaelic society retreated to the bogs, forests and the Slieve Bloom Mountains. The early 14th century saw a Gaelic revival, as the chieftains of Loígis
Loígis () is the name of an Irish tribe, as it is called by contemporary scholars. Formerly, scholars generally called the tribe ''Laoighis'' or ''Laeighis'' in Irish, ''Lagisia'' in Latin, and ''Leix'' in English. Loígis is also the name of the ...
caused the Normans to withdraw. The Dempsey
Dempsey is a surname of Irish origin.
Background
Dempsey is an anglicised form of Ó Díomasaigh, 'descendant of Díomasach'; this personal name is the Irish adjective ''díomasach'' 'proud'. The family originated in the Kingdom of Uí Failghe ...
s seized Lea Castle, while Dunamase came into the ownership of the O’Mores. Examples of tower house
A tower house is a particular type of stone structure, built for defensive purposes as well as habitation. Tower houses began to appear in the Middle Ages, especially in mountainous or limited access areas, in order to command and defend strateg ...
s built by the Irish Mac Giolla Phádraig chieftains are found at Ballaghmore and Cullahill Castle, both decorated with Sheela na gigs.
In 1548, the English confiscated the lands of the O’Mores and built "Campa", known as the Fort of Leix, today's Portlaoise.
16th century colony and County status
It was shired in 1556 by Queen Mary as Queen's County, covering the ''countries'' of Leix (Loígis), Slewmarge, Irry, and that part of Glimnaliry on the southwest side of the River Barrow
The Barrow ( ga, An Bhearú) is a river in Ireland. It is one of The Three Sisters; the other two being the River Suir and the River Nore. The Barrow is the longest of the three rivers, and at 192 km (120 mi), the second-longest ri ...
. Laois received its present Irish language
Irish ( Standard Irish: ), also known as Gaelic, is a Goidelic language of the Insular Celtic branch of the Celtic language family, which is a part of the Indo-European language family. Irish is indigenous to the island of Ireland and was ...
name following the Irish War of Independence
The Irish War of Independence () or Anglo-Irish War was a guerrilla war fought in Ireland from 1919 to 1921 between the Irish Republican Army (IRA, the army of the Irish Republic) and British forces: the British Army, along with the quasi-mil ...
. Laois was also sometimes spelt "Leix". Portlaoise (previously Maryborough) is the main town of the county.
Loígis
Loígis () is the name of an Irish tribe, as it is called by contemporary scholars. Formerly, scholars generally called the tribe ''Laoighis'' or ''Laeighis'' in Irish, ''Lagisia'' in Latin, and ''Leix'' in English. Loígis is also the name of the ...
was the subject of two organised plantations
A plantation is an agricultural estate, generally centered on a plantation house, meant for farming that specializes in cash crops, usually mainly planted with a single crop, with perhaps ancillary areas for vegetables for eating and so on. Th ...
or colonisations by the Kingdom of England
The Kingdom of England (, ) was a sovereign state on the island of Great Britain from 12 July 927, when it emerged from various Anglo-Saxon kingdoms, until 1 May 1707, when it united with Scotland to form the Kingdom of Great Britain.
On 1 ...
in 1556 and 1607. During the first plantation, Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex
Thomas Radclyffe (or Ratclyffe), 3rd Earl of Sussex KG (c. 15259 June 1583), was Lord Deputy of Ireland during the Tudor period of English history, and a leading courtier during the reign of Elizabeth I.
Family
He was the eldest son of Henr ...
attempted to dispossess the ruling O'Moore clan, who had been engaging in costly raids on The Pale
The Pale (Irish: ''An Pháil'') or the English Pale (' or ') was the part of Ireland directly under the control of the English government in the Late Middle Ages. It had been reduced by the late 15th century to an area along the east coast st ...
, and settle the area with English colonists. However, this led to a long drawn-out guerrilla war in the county and left only a small colonist community clustered around garrisons. This initial attempt at plantation is widely regarded as a failure by historians, as occupying the territory was far more costly than the money yielded from it, and the scheme attracted fewer settlers than anticipated.
The second, more successful plantation of the county took place in the aftermath of the Nine Years' War, and expanded the existing English settlements with more landowners and tenants. In 1659, a group of Quakers
Quakers are people who belong to a historically Protestant Christian set of denominations known formally as the Religious Society of Friends. Members of these movements ("theFriends") are generally united by a belief in each human's abil ...
led by William Edmundson, settled in Mountmellick, while a group of Huguenot
The Huguenots ( , also , ) were a religious group of French Protestants who held to the Reformed, or Calvinist, tradition of Protestantism. The term, which may be derived from the name of a Swiss political leader, the Genevan burgomaster Be ...
s were given refuge in Portarlington in 1696 after their service to William of Orange in the Williamite War in Ireland
The Williamite War in Ireland (1688–1691; ga, Cogadh an Dá Rí, "war of the two kings"), was a conflict between Jacobite supporters of deposed monarch James II and Williamite supporters of his successor, William III. It is also called th ...
.
What followed was a period of relative calm. Anglo-Irish landowners enclosed the land and built fine houses, including Durrow Castle Durrow may refer to the following locations in the Republic of Ireland.
* Durrow, County Offaly, a village in County Offaly.
* Durrow, County Laois, a town in County Laois.
* Durrow, County Kilkenny
Durrow (, formerly ''Darmhagh Ua nDuach'') is ...
, Heywood House and Emo Court
Emo Court, located near the village of Emo in County Laois, Ireland, is a large neo-classical mansion. Architectural features of the building include sash-style windows, pavilions, a balustrade, a hipped roof, and large dome.
It was designe ...
. In 1836, a branch of the Grand Canal stretched to Mountmellick, further stimulating industry in that town.
The Great Famine of 1845–49 devastated the county. The county's workhouses could not cope with the number of destitute people seeking shelter. By the time the workhouse opened at Donaghmore in 1853, many of the poorest had emigrated or died.
The county was known as Queen's County ( ga, Contae na Banríona) from 1556 until its name was informally changed on the establishment of the Irish Free State
The Irish Free State ( ga, Saorstát Éireann, , ; 6 December 192229 December 1937) was a state established in December 1922 under the Anglo-Irish Treaty of December 1921. The treaty ended the three-year Irish War of Independence between ...
in 1922. The county's name was formerly spelt as ''Laoighis'' and ''Leix''. In the Local Government Act 2001
The Local Government Act 2001 (No. 37) was enacted by the Oireachtas on 21 July 2001 to reform local government in the Republic of Ireland. Most of the provisions of the Act came into operation on 1 January 2002. The act was a restatement and a ...
, it is named in the list of counties as ''Laois'', although no legislation was enacted explicitly changing the name from Queen's County, the name formally established under the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898
The Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898 (61 & 62 Vict. c. 37) was an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland that established a system of local government in Ireland similar to that already created for England, ...
which continued to have legal effect. When land is sold in the county the relevant title deeds
A title is one or more words used before or after a person's name, in certain contexts. It may signify either generation, an official position, or a professional or academic qualification. In some languages, titles may be inserted between the f ...
are still updated as being in ''Queen's County''.
Geography and subdivisions
Laois is the 23rd in both in area and population of Ireland's 32 counties. It is the seventh-largest of Leinster's 12 counties in size and tenth largest in population. The county is landlocked and, uniquely, is doubly landlocked, not bordering any other county which touches the coast.
Baronies
The county was formerly divided into nine baronies:
* Ballyadams
*Cullenagh
Cullenagh or Cullinagh () is a barony in County Laois (formerly called ''Queen's County'' or ''County Leix''), Ireland.
Etymology
The barony is named after the Cullenagh Hills; located between Abbeyleix and Timahoe, they rise to a height of ...
* Maryborough East
* Maryborough West
*Portnehinch
Portnahinch or Portnehinch ( is a Barony (Ireland), barony in County Laois (formerly called ''Queen's County'' or ''County Leix''), Republic of Ireland, Ireland.
Etymology
The barony is named after the townland of Portnahinch (''Port na hInse ...
* Slievemargue
*Stradbally
Stradbally () is a town in County Laois, Ireland, located in the midlands of Ireland along the N80 road, a National Secondary Route, about from Portlaoise. It is a townland, a civil parish and historic barony. It is known for its "Steam Ra ...
* Tinnehinch
*Upper Ossory
Upper Ossory () was an administrative barony in the south and west of Queen's County (now County Laois) in Ireland. In late Gaelic Ireland it was the túath of the Mac Giolla Phádraig ( Fitzpatrick) family and a surviving remnant of the once l ...
(later divided into Upper Woods
Upper Woods or Upperwoods () is a barony in County Laois (formerly called ''Queen's County'' or ''County Leix''), Republic of Ireland.
Etymology
Upper Woods barony is named after the forests of the Slieve Bloom Mountains.
Geography
Upper Wood ...
, Clarmallagh
Clarmallagh () is a barony in County Laois (formerly called ''Queen's County'' or ''County Leix''), Republic of Ireland.
Etymology
Clarmallagh means "Flat land of Maigh Locha 'lake plain'', referring to Grantstown Lake.
Geography
Clarmallag ...
and Clandonagh
Clandonagh () is a barony in County Laois (formerly called ''Queen's County'' or ''County Leix''), Republic of Ireland. A barony was a historical subdivision of a county; mainly cadastral rather than administrative.
Etymology
Clandonagh barony ...
)
Towns and villages
* Abbeyleix
Abbeyleix (; ) is a town in County Laois, Ireland, located around south of the county town of Portlaoise.
Abbeyleix was formerly located on the N8, the main road from Dublin to Cork. At one point, up to 15,000 vehicles passed along the town' ...
* Aghaboe
Aghaboe () is a small village in County Laois, Ireland. It is located on the R434 regional road in the rural hinterland west of the town of Abbeyleix.
It contains the ruins of the Abbey of Aghaboe which was founded by St. Canice in the Osso ...
* Arles
Arles (, , ; oc, label= Provençal, Arle ; Classical la, Arelate) is a coastal city and commune in the South of France, a subprefecture in the Bouches-du-Rhône department of the Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur region, in the former province of ...
* Ballacolla
Ballacolla, officially Ballycolla (), is a village in County Laois, Ireland. It sits at the crossroads of the R433 and R434 regional roads, southwest of Abbeyleix
Abbeyleix (; ) is a town in County Laois, Ireland, located around south o ...
* Ballaghmore
* Ballickmoyler
* Ballinakill
Ballinakill () is a small village in County Laois, Ireland on the R432 regional road between Abbeyleix, Ballyragget and Castlecomer, County Kilkenny. As of the 2016 census, there were 445 people living in Ballinakill.
History
From 1613 unti ...
* Ballybrittas
Ballybrittas (, IPA: bˠalʲəˈbʲɾʲɪt̪ˠaːʃ is a small village in the northeast of County Laois, Ireland situated on the R445 about 5 km SW of Monasterevin, County Kildare. Formerly on the N7 Dublin - Limerick road, the village ...
* Ballybrophy
Ballybrophy (historically ''Ballybrohy'', from ) is a village in County Laois, Ireland. It had a population of 145 as of the 2002 census, and forms part of the Borris-in-Ossory electoral area. It is best known for the Ballybrophy railway statio ...
* Ballyhide
* Ballyfin
Ballyfin ( or alternatively "town of Fionn") is a small village and parish in County Laois, Ireland. Located in the Slieve Bloom Mountains, the village is in the midlands of Ireland. It is located on the R423 regional road midway between the ...
* Ballylinan
Ballylinan or Ballylynan () is a small town in County Laois, about from the border with County Kildare in Ireland. The name means "Lynan's town", though exactly who Lynan was is now forgotten.
Transport
A 12-mile railway line linking Ballylina ...
* Ballyroan
* Borris-in-Ossory
Borris-in-Ossory (, or the 'Burgage of Osraige') is a village in west County Laois, Ireland. Bypassed by the M7 motorway on 28 May 2010, the village is situated on the R445 road close to the County Tipperary border between the towns of Mountr ...
* Castletown
* Clonaslee
Clonaslee () is a village in north County Laois, Ireland, situated in the foothills of the Slieve Bloom Mountains on the R422 Mountmellick to Birr road. Clonaslee is approximately 100 km west of Dublin, and is close to the towns of Portla ...
* Coolrain
Coolrain (), is a village in County Laois, Ireland. It is situated near the Slieve Bloom Mountains. The nearest town is Mountrath
Mountrath () is a small town in County Laois, Ireland. The town lies on the R445 midway between Dublin and Lim ...
* Cullohill
Cullahill or Cullohill () is a small village situated on the R639 road in County Laois, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Cullahill takes its name from an ancient forest that covered Cullahill Mountain and extended down to Cullahill Castle.
Histor ...
* Donaghmore
* Durrow
* Emo
Emo is a rock music genre characterized by emotional, often confessional lyrics. It emerged as a style of and hardcore punk from the Washington D.C. hardcore punk scene, where it was known as emotional hardcore or emocore and pioneered b ...
* Errill
Errill () is a village in southwest County Laois, Ireland, near the County Tipperary and County Kilkenny borders. It is centred on a village green around which sits a shop with the local post office, two pubs and a Roman Catholic church. The lo ...
* The Heath
* Jamestown
* Killeshin
Killeshin () is a village in County Laois, Ireland on the R430 regional road. Killeshin is a small rural community situated five kilometres west of Carlow town and overlooks the picturesque Barrow Valley. The church at the foot of the Killeshi ...
* Mountmellick
Mountmellick or Mountmellic () is a town in the north of County Laois, Ireland. It lies on the N80 national secondary road and the R422 and R423 regional roads.
Name
''Mountmellick'', sometimes spelt ''Montmellick'' or ''Montmellic'', is a ...
* Mountrath
Mountrath () is a small town in County Laois, Ireland. The town lies on the R445 midway between Dublin and Limerick, exactly 96.5 km (60 mi) from both cities. The town was bypassed by the M7 motorway in 2010 leading to a significant ...
* Newtown
* Pike of Rushall
Pike, Pikes or The Pike may refer to:
Fish
* Blue pike or blue walleye, an extinct color morph of the yellow walleye ''Sander vitreus''
* Ctenoluciidae, the "pike characins", some species of which are commonly known as pikes
* ''Esox'', genus of ...
* Portarlington
* Portlaoise
* Rathdowney
Rathdowney or Rathdowny () is a town in southwest County Laois, Ireland. It lies some 32 km southwest of Portlaoise in the Irish Midlands, at the point where the R433 regional road from Abbeyleix to Templemore is crossed by the R435 ...
* Rosenallis
* Shanahoe
* Stradbally
Stradbally () is a town in County Laois, Ireland, located in the midlands of Ireland along the N80 road, a National Secondary Route, about from Portlaoise. It is a townland, a civil parish and historic barony. It is known for its "Steam Ra ...
* The Swan
A swan is a bird of the genus ''Cygnus'' (true swans) or ''Coscoroba'' (coscoroba swans).
Swan, swans, or The Swan may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Film and television
* ''The Swan'' (1925 film), a 1925 silent film
* ''The Swa ...
* Timahoe
Timahoe (: 'House of Mochua') is a village in County Laois, Ireland, south of Portlaoise on the R426 regional road.
The population of Timahoe in 2002 was 517, a 2.6% increase since 1996. It increased to 527 in 2006. Retrieved dead link with ...
* Vicarstown
Vicarstown, historically known as Ballynevicar, Ballyvicar and Ballyvicary (), is a village in County Laois, Ireland. It stands at the point where the R427 regional road crosses the Grand Canal.
Sport
Annanough (''Áth na nEac'' in Irish) i ...
Climate
For climatological information see: durrow.ie for averages and extremes.
The weather station at east Durrow was set up in May 2008. The equipment used is a Davis Vantage Pro II that measures temperature, humidity, wind speed, wind direction, rainfall and barometric pressure. This data is transmitted every 2 seconds to
website
where the data can be freely accessed. The station also reports to the Irish Weather Network which displays live weather data from similar stations all around Ireland.
In addition, a Met Éireann climatological station (Number: 472) was installed in September 2010 and the data collected is sent to headquarters in Glasnevin, Dublin on a monthly basis. The climatological station measures rainfall in a manual gauge, soil temperatures at 5 cm, 10 cm and 20 cm depths, air temperature including wet-bulb, and daily maximum and daily minimum temperatures. The climatological station is a project that is envisaged to last thirty years and collect a climate profile for Durrow and Laois in general.
Governance and politics
Local government
Laois County Council
Laois County Council ( ga, Comhairle Chontae Laoise) is the authority responsible for local government in County Laois, Ireland. As a county council, it is governed by the Local Government Act 2001. The council is responsible for housing and co ...
is the local authority
Local government is a generic term for the lowest tiers of public administration within a particular sovereign state. This particular usage of the word government refers specifically to a level of administration that is both geographically-loca ...
governing County Laois. It has 19 councillors, and is divided into three local electoral area
A local electoral area (LEA; ga, Toghlimistéir Áitiúil) is an electoral area for elections to local authorities in Ireland. All elections use the single transferable vote. The Republic of Ireland is divided into 166 LEAs, with an average po ...
s, each of which is also a municipal district: Borris-in-Ossory
Borris-in-Ossory (, or the 'Burgage of Osraige') is a village in west County Laois, Ireland. Bypassed by the M7 motorway on 28 May 2010, the village is situated on the R445 road close to the County Tipperary border between the towns of Mountr ...
-Mountmellick
Mountmellick or Mountmellic () is a town in the north of County Laois, Ireland. It lies on the N80 national secondary road and the R422 and R423 regional roads.
Name
''Mountmellick'', sometimes spelt ''Montmellick'' or ''Montmellic'', is a ...
(6), Graiguecullen- Portarlington (6), and Portlaoise (7).
The council has two representatives on the Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly
The Eastern and Midland Region has been defined as a region in Ireland since 1 January 2015. It is a NUTS Level II statistical region of Ireland (coded IE06).
NUTS 2 Regions may be classified as ''less developed regions'', ''transition ...
.
Former districts
It was formerly divided into the rural district
Rural districts were a type of local government area – now superseded – established at the end of the 19th century in England, Wales, and Ireland for the administration of predominantly rural areas at a level lower than that of the Ad ...
s of Abbeyleix, Athy No. 2, Mountmellick, Roscrea No. 3, and Slievemargy. The rural districts were abolished in 1925. Mountmellick
Mountmellick or Mountmellic () is a town in the north of County Laois, Ireland. It lies on the N80 national secondary road and the R422 and R423 regional roads.
Name
''Mountmellick'', sometimes spelt ''Montmellick'' or ''Montmellic'', is a ...
and Portlaoise, within the former rural district of Mountmellick, had town commissioners
Town commissioners were elected local government bodies that existed in urban areas in Ireland from the 19th century until 2002. Larger towns with commissioners were converted to urban districts by the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898, with ...
. These became town councils
A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, rural counc ...
in 2002. All town councils in Ireland were abolished in 2014.
National politics
Most of County Laois is part of the Dáil constituency of Laois–Offaly (5 seats), with the electoral division
An electoral district, also known as an election district, legislative district, voting district, constituency, riding, ward, division, or (election) precinct is a subdivision of a larger state (a country, administrative region, or other poli ...
s of Ballybrittas, Jamestown, Kilmullen, Portarlington South, in the former rural district of Mountmellick, in the Kildare South constituency. The constituency of Laois–Offaly existed from 1921 to 2016, and again since 2020. In 2016 to 2020 period, there was a separate constituency of Laois
County Laois ( ; gle, Contae Laoise) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and in the province of Leinster. It was known as Queen's County from 1556 to 1922. The modern county takes its name from Loígis, a medi ...
(3 seats).
It is part of the European Parliament constituency
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) are elected by the population of the member states of the European Union (EU). The European Electoral Act 2002 allows member states the choice to allocate electoral subdivisions or constituencies (, ...
of South
South is one of the cardinal directions or Points of the compass, compass points. The direction is the opposite of north and is perpendicular to both east and west.
Etymology
The word ''south'' comes from Old English ''sūþ'', from earlier Pro ...
(5 seats).
Places of interest
*Slieve Bloom Mountains
The Slieve Bloom Mountains ( ga, Sliabh Bladhma; la, Bladinae montes) is a mountain range in Ireland. They rise from the central plain of Ireland to a height of 527 metres. While not very high, they are extensive by local standards. The high ...
*Rock of Dunamase
Dunamase or the Rock of Dunamase ( ga, Dún Másc "fort of Másc") is a rocky outcrop in County Laois, Ireland. Rising above a plain, it has the ruins of Dunamase Castle, a defensive stronghold dating from the early Hiberno-Norman period with ...
*Emo Court
Emo Court, located near the village of Emo in County Laois, Ireland, is a large neo-classical mansion. Architectural features of the building include sash-style windows, pavilions, a balustrade, a hipped roof, and large dome.
It was designe ...
*Castle Durrow
Castle Durrow is an 18th-century country house in Durrow, County Laois, Ireland. The house was built in the pre-Palladian design and formal gardens that were popular in the 18th century.
History
The house was built between 1712-1716 by Colone ...
* Timahoe Round Tower
* Stradbally Hall
*Mountmellick Quaker Museum
* Ballyfin House
Roundwood House
* Dunamaise Arts Centre, Portlaoise
*Portlaoise Leisure Centre
* Tinnakill Castle
*18-hole golf courses include Abbeyleix Road in Portlaoise; The Heritage in Killenard; The Heath; Abbeyleix, Mountrath and Rathdowney.
County Laois also has a mixture of castles, mansions, forts and old structures that are now in ruins but are still worth visiting.
Demography
The population of County Laois is expanding, given its easy commute to the employment centres of Kildare and Dublin. Laois's population growth during the period 2002–2006 (14%) was stronger than the national average (8.2%), as follows:
*2002 ... 58,774
*2006 ... 67,012 ... +14.01%
*2011 ... 80,559
*2016 ... 84,697
As of the 2016 census, ethnically Laois was 84% white Irish, 8% other white, 2% black, 1% Asian, 1% 'other', with 3% not stated.[
]
Economy
Industrial parks are located in Portlaoise, Portarlington and Mountmellick. The county receives EU funding as it is part of the cluster of three regions
In geography, regions, otherwise referred to as zones, lands or territories, are areas that are broadly divided by physical characteristics (physical geography), human impact characteristics (human geography), and the interaction of humanity and t ...
(Border
Borders are usually defined as geographical boundaries, imposed either by features such as oceans and terrain, or by political entities such as governments, sovereign states, federated states, and other subnational entities. Political borders c ...
, Midland and West
West or Occident is one of the four cardinal directions or points of the compass. It is the opposite direction from east and is the direction in which the Sunset, Sun sets on the Earth.
Etymology
The word "west" is a Germanic languages, German ...
), colloquially known as "BMW", that qualifies for special funding aid.
Agricultural activities occupy approximately 70% of the land area of the county (). However agriculture's share of income in the "BMW" region has declined sharply in the past decade, and represented only approximately 3.9% of annual income (GVA) in 2005 Central Statistics Office. The remaining area includes considerable stretches of raised bog and the Slieve Bloom mountains, which are partially covered by coniferous forest.
Culture
Performing arts
The county's largest theatre is the Dunamaise Theatre in Portlaoise which opened in 1999.
There are many festivals held in Laois each year including:
*Durrow Die-Cast Model and Toy Show Durrow may refer to the following locations in the Republic of Ireland.
* Durrow, County Offaly
Durrow () is a small rural village and townland in County Offaly, Ireland. Durrow is located on the N52 off the N6 road between Kilbeggan (in Count ...
*Halloween Howls
Halloween or Hallowe'en (less commonly known as Allhalloween, All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Eve) is a celebration geography of Halloween, observed in many countries on 31 October, the eve of the Western Christian feast of All Saints' Day. ...
*Laois Bealtaine Festival
*Half Door Club Music & Set Dance Festival
* Rose of Tralee Regional Finals
*Laois Fleadh
*Heartlands Rally
*Gordon Bennett Classic Car Run
*Laois Walks Festival
*Festival Francais Portarlington
*Durrow Scarecrow Festival
*Stradbally National Steam Rally
*National Ploughing Championships
The National Ploughing Championships ( ga, Comórtas Náisiúnta Treabhdóireachta) or NPC, previously known as The National Ploughing Championships Machinery & Livestock Exhibition, is an outdoor agricultural show in Ireland incorporating a p ...
*Electric Picnic
Electric Picnic is an annual arts-and-music festival which has been staged since 2004 at Stradbally Hall in Stradbally, County Laois, Ireland. It is organised by Pod Concerts and Festival Republic, who purchased the majority shareholding in ...
*Maureen Culleton Festival of Dance
*B.A.R.E in the Woods
BARE in the Woods (or BARE Festival) is an annual, award-winning music festival which has been staged since 2014 at Garryhinch Woods, Portarlington, Co. Laois, Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is a ...
*Fisherstown Trad Festival
*Ossory Agricultural Show
*William Edmundson & Friends Gathering
*Mountmellick Drama Festival
*Laois International Golf Challenge
Media
Newspapers
* The Laois Voice
Railways
Iarnród Éireann
Iarnród Éireann () or Irish Rail, is the operator of the national railway network of Ireland. Established on 2 February 1987, it is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann (CIÉ). It operates all internal InterCity, Commuter, DART and fr ...
train services along the Dublin-Cork line connects the county between Heuston station
Heuston Station ( ; ga, Stáisiún Heuston; formerly Kingsbridge Station) also known as Dublin Heuston, is one of Dublin's largest railway stations and links the capital with the south, southwest and west of Ireland. It is operated by Iar ...
and Cork
Cork or CORK may refer to:
Materials
* Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product
** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container
***Wine cork
Places Ireland
* Cork (city)
** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...
, Limerick
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...
, travel through the county, with railway stations at Portarlington, Portlaoise and Ballybrophy
Ballybrophy (historically ''Ballybrohy'', from ) is a village in County Laois, Ireland. It had a population of 145 as of the 2002 census, and forms part of the Borris-in-Ossory electoral area. It is best known for the Ballybrophy railway statio ...
. From Portarlington trains run on the Dublin-Galway/Westport/Ballina line to Athlone as well as Galway
Galway ( ; ga, Gaillimh, ) is a City status in Ireland, city in the West Region, Ireland, West of Ireland, in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Connacht, which is the county town of County Galway. It lies on the River Corrib between Lo ...
, Westport and Ballina. From Ballybrophy
Ballybrophy (historically ''Ballybrohy'', from ) is a village in County Laois, Ireland. It had a population of 145 as of the 2002 census, and forms part of the Borris-in-Ossory electoral area. It is best known for the Ballybrophy railway statio ...
trains run on the Ballybrophy line to Nenagh
Nenagh (, ; or simply ''An tAonach'') meaning “The Fair of Ormond” or simply "The Fair", is the county town and second largest town in County Tipperary in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. Nenagh used to be a market town, and the site of the ...
and Limerick
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...
direct.
Road transport
The M7 road runs through County Laois. This is one of the busiest roadways in Ireland
Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...
connecting Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
and Limerick
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...
and acts as a trunk route for the M8 motorway (Ireland), M8 which connects Cork (city), Cork to Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
. The M8 joins the M7 to the south of Portlaoise. Road infrastructure has improved greatly in the county over the past decade. Most major interurban routes through Laois have now been upgraded to motorway standards. All major traffic bottlenecks in Laois such as Abbeyleix
Abbeyleix (; ) is a town in County Laois, Ireland, located around south of the county town of Portlaoise.
Abbeyleix was formerly located on the N8, the main road from Dublin to Cork. At one point, up to 15,000 vehicles passed along the town' ...
and Mountrath
Mountrath () is a small town in County Laois, Ireland. The town lies on the R445 midway between Dublin and Limerick, exactly 96.5 km (60 mi) from both cities. The town was bypassed by the M7 motorway in 2010 leading to a significant ...
have been bypassed following the opening of the M7/M8 tolled motorway project in May 2010. Both towns were major intercity bottlenecks for motorists, especially Abbeyleix
Abbeyleix (; ) is a town in County Laois, Ireland, located around south of the county town of Portlaoise.
Abbeyleix was formerly located on the N8, the main road from Dublin to Cork. At one point, up to 15,000 vehicles passed along the town' ...
where delays of up to 30 minutes or more were common.
Bus Éireann provides regular intercity bus services in the county. The Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
to Limerick
Limerick ( ; ga, Luimneach ) is a western city in Ireland situated within County Limerick. It is in the province of Munster and is located in the Mid-West which comprises part of the Southern Region. With a population of 94,192 at the 2016 ...
service runs every hour through towns and villages on the old N7 road (now R445 road, R445) while the Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Republic of Ireland, Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of th ...
to Cork (city), Cork intercity bus service runs every two hours through towns in the county.
People
*John George Adair (1823–1885), builder of Glenveagh Castle and financier of JA Ranch in the Texas Panhandle.
*Darina Allen (1953– ), TV chef.
*John Barrett (clergyman), John Barrett (1753–1821), Vice Provost, Trinity College, 1807–1821.
*Jonah Barrington (judge), Sir Jonah Barrington (1760–1834).
*Elizabeth Barton of the Barton Family, Straffan and Lisduff
*Claire Byrne (1976– ), TV presenter/newscaster, best known for co-presenting RTÉ's ''The Daily Show''
*Tony Byrne (footballer born 1946), Tony Byrne, former professional footballer who played for Republic of Ireland national football team, Ireland.
*William Cosby, governor of New York Colony, New York from 1732 to 1736.
*Evelyn Cusack, Met Éireann meteorologist
*William Dargan (1799–1867), responsible for the Industrial Exhibition, 1853.
*Cecil Day-Lewis (1904–1972), British Poet-Laureate, 1967–1972.
*Dr. Daniel Delany (1747–1814), Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin.
*Eileen Dunne (1958– ), TV newscaster.
*Denis Dynon, recipient of the Victoria Cross
*Oliver J. Flanagan (1920–1987), Minister for Defence, 1976–1977.
*Charles Flanagan
*Seán Fleming
*Ger Connolly
*Stephen Hunt (footballer born 1981), Stephen Hunt (1981–), professional footballer playing for Wolverhampton Wanderers and Republic of Ireland national football team, Ireland.
*Liam Hyland
*James Fintan Lalor (1807–1849), Young Irelander.
*Peter Lalor (1827–1889), leader of the Eureka Stockade miners revolt, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.
*Patrick Lalor
*Charles McDonald (Irish politician), Charles McDonald
*James Macauley (1889–1945), former Ireland soccer international player.
*Dr. Bartholomew Mosse (1712–1759), founder, Rotunda Maternity Hospital, Dublin.
*David Murphy (Laois Gaelic footballer), David Murphy, Laois Gaelic footballer
*Valentine O'Hara (1875–1945), author and authority on Russia and the Baltic states.
*Kevin O'Higgins (1892–1927), TD and Minister for Justice (Ireland), Minister for Justice.
*Sean O'Rourke, broadcaster and journalist with RTÉ.
*Bernard O'Shea, comedian, best known for his roles on RTÉ's ''Republic of Telly''.
*Brian Rigney, former Ireland rugby international.
*Robin Roe (1928–2010), 19 times capped Irish rugby international who also played for the British and Irish Lions.
*Hon. William Russell Grace (1832–1904), mayor of New York, 1880–1885.
*John Shaw (navy), John Shaw (1773–1823), U.S. Naval Officer.
*Robert Sheehan (1988– ), actor best known for playing Nathan Young on E4 (TV channel), E4's comedy-drama, Misfits (TV series), ''Misfits''.
*Brian Stanley (politician), Brian Stanley
*Kivas Tully (1820–1905), architect, Trinity College, Toronto, the Custom House and the Bank of Montreal.
*Zach Tuohy (1989–), professional Australian rules footballer, currently playing for Geelong Football Club.
*Colm Begley (1986–), Gaelic football player. He played Australian rules football for the Brisbane Lions in the Australian Football League, AFL.
* Professor Noel Fitzpatrick (1967–), Veterinary Surgeon for Channel 4 television series The Supervet.
*Fionn mac Cumhaill, mythical hunter-warrior of Irish mythology
*Damien Bowe, singer and former member of Irish boyband D-Side.
*Anne Keenan-Buckley (1962–), a middle-distance runner who was on the Irish 1988 Summer Olympics, 1988 Summer Olympic team.
*John Whelan (Irish politician)
Sport
Laois has a strong tradition of Gaelic games, with success at both Gaelic football and hurling. Laois GAA, Laois are one of few counties to contest an All-Ireland final in both Gaelic football and hurling. In the 21st century, Laois have been more successful footballers than hurlers. Laois minors have had several successes over the past two decades, and the Laois senior footballers reached the Leinster final in 2003 (victorious), 2004, and 2005. As of 2022, Laois hurlers compete in the Liam MacCarthy Cup, a competition reserved for the premiere hurling counties while the footballers compete in the Sam Maguire Cup. Laois play home games at O'Moore Park, the county's largest sporting venue, which is often used for hurling championship games.
In rugby, Portlaoise RFC and Portarlington RFC compete in Division 2A of the Leinster League.
Twin towns
County Laois is a participant in the Twin towns and sister cities, Twin Towns program and has a relationship with the following municipalities:
: Arlington, Massachusetts, United States
: Carleton Place, Carleton Place, Ontario, Canada (2008)
: Coulounieix-Chamiers, France (1996)
: Franklin, Tennessee, United States (2008)
See also
* List of monastic houses in Ireland#County Laois, List of abbeys and priories in the Republic of Ireland (County Laois)
* List of towns and villages in the Republic of Ireland, List of towns and villages in Ireland
* Lord Lieutenant of Queen's County
* High Sheriff of Queen's County
References
External links
*
Laois Tourism Website
Official website of Laois County Council
Things to do in Laois – Tourist guide
Map of castles, fortified houses and ruins in Laois
{{DEFAULTSORT:Laois, County
County Laois,
Leinster
Counties of the Republic of Ireland
States and territories established in 1556
Local government areas of the Republic of Ireland
1556 establishments in Ireland