Emo (from the )
is a village in
County Laois,
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 located near
Portlaoise on the
R422 regional road just off the
M7 Dublin
Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 c ...
–
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 ...
motorway
A controlled-access highway is a type of highway that has been designed for high-speed vehicular traffic, with all traffic flow—ingress and egress—regulated. Common English terms are freeway, motorway and expressway. Other similar terms i ...
.
History
The late 18th century village of Emo originally developed around the gates of
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 ...
. The village pub, the New Inn (now called the "Gate House"), dates from the village's foundation, as does the Gothic Catholic Church, which contains the tomb of Aline, Lady Portarlington, with its recumbent effigy by
Joseph Boehm. The site for the church was a gift from Lord Portarlington, and the parochial house and lands beside the church were granted by the Earl of Portarlington at a nominal rent.
Emo Court was designed in 1790 by architect
James Gandon
James Gandon (20 February 1743 – 24 December 1823) was an English architect best known for his work in Ireland during the late 18th century and early 19th century. His better known works include The Custom House and the surrounding Beresford ...
for the first
Earl of Portarlington
Earl of Portarlington is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1785 for John Dawson, 1st Earl of Portarlington, who had earlier represented Portarlington in the Irish House of Commons. He was the son of William Dawson, 1st Visco ...
and is a well-known example of the neoclassical style.
There is a
namesake town in Ontario named after this village by an Irish immigrant from the area.
Sport
Emo GAA is the local
Gaelic Athletic Association
The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA; ga, Cumann Lúthchleas Gael ; CLG) is an Irish international amateur sports, amateur sporting and cultural organisation, focused primarily on promoting indigenous Gaelic games and pastimes, which include t ...
club.
Oil
The
Emo Oil Company is based in
Portlaoise and named after the village. The brand is used by several divisions of DCC Plca and DCC is the largest oil distributor in Great Britain and Northern Ireland
See also
*
List of towns and villages in Ireland
References
{{County Laois
Towns and villages in County Laois
Townlands of County Laois