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 ...

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 ...

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 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 Portlaoi ...

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 Cashel Man is a bog body from a bog near Cashel in County Laois, Ireland. He was found on 10 August 2011 by Bord na Móna employee Jason Phelan from Abbeyleix. The body was a young adult male, around 20–25,Hart, Edward, dir. "Ghosts of Murde ...

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 A ring cairn (also correctly termed a ring bank enclosure, but sometimes wrongly described as a ring barrow) is a circular or slightly oval, ring-shaped, low (maximum 0.5 metres high) embankment, several metres wide and from 8 to 20 metres in ...

that date from this time period. The county name derives from

, 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 The Red Branch (; alternatively, ) is the name of two of the three royal houses of the king of Ulster, Conchobar mac Nessa, at his capital Emain Macha (Navan Fort, near Armagh), in the Ulster Cycle of Irish mythology. In modern retellings it is s ...

. 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 Septs of

: O’More (O’Moore), O’Lalor, O’Doran, O’Dowling, O’Devoy (O’Deevy), O’Kelly and McEvoy. Ireland900

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

. St.

Ciarán of Saighir Ciarán (Irish spelling) or Ciaran (Scottish Gaelic spelling) is a traditionally male given name of Irish origin. It means "little dark one" or "little dark-haired one", produced by appending a diminutive suffix to ''ciar'' ("black", "dark"). ...

(called "The Elder" to distinguish him from the younger St. Ciarán of Clonmacnoise) founded his monastic habitation in the western Slieve Bloom Mountains 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 ST, St, or St. may refer to: Arts and entertainment * Stanza, in poetry * Suicidal Tendencies, an American heavy metal/hardcore punk band * Star Trek, a science-fiction media franchise * Summa Theologica, a compendium of Catholic philosophy an ...

. 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 that established the Irish dioceses was held near Mountrath in 1111, moving the Church away from its 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. 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 mottes. 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

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 Lea Castle is a ruined medieval castle near Portarlington, County Laois. A timber castle was built in the late 12th or early 13th century and replaced by a later stone castle. The remains of the castle mostly date to the 13th century and consist ...

, 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 Mac or MAC most commonly refers to: * Mac (computer), a family of personal computers made by Apple Inc. * Mackintosh, a raincoat made of rubberized cloth * A variant of the word macaroni, mostly used in the name of the dish mac and cheese * Mac, ...

chieftains are found at Ballaghmore and

Cullahill Castle Cullahill Castle was the principal stronghold of the MacGillapatricks of Upper Ossory built around 1425 and destroyed around 1650. Cullahill Castle takes its name from an ancient forest that covered Cullahill Mountain and extended down to Culla ...

, 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 Portlaoise ( ), or Port Laoise (), is the county town of County Laois, Ireland. It is located in the Midland Region, Ireland, South Midlands in the province of Leinster. The 2016 census shows that the town's population increased by 9.5% to 22,050 ...

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. 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.

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. The ...

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 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 The Nine Years' War (1688–1697), often called the War of the Grand Alliance or the War of the League of Augsburg, was a conflict between France and a European coalition which mainly included the Holy Roman Empire (led by the Habsburg monarch ...

, 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. What followed was a period of relative calm. Anglo-Irish landowners enclosed the land and built fine houses, including Durrow Castle, 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 designed b ...

. 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 th ...

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 which continued to have legal effect. When land is sold in the county the relevant title deeds 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 A landlocked country is a country that does not have territory connected to an ocean or whose coastlines lie on endorheic basins. There are currently 44 landlocked countries and 4 landlocked de facto states. Kazakhstan is the world's largest ...

, not bordering any other county which touches the coast.

Baronies

The county was formerly divided into nine

baronies Barony may refer to: * Barony, the peerage, office of, or territory held by a baron * Barony, the title and land held in fealty by a feudal baron * Barony (county division), a type of administrative or geographical division in parts of the British ...

: *

Ballyadams Ballyadams () is a barony in County Laois (formerly called ''Queen's County'' or ''County Leix''), Republic of Ireland. Etymology Ballyadams barony is named after Ballyadams Castle, a 15th-century fortified house near Ballylynan. Geography Bal ...

* Cullenagh *

Maryborough East Maryborough East or East Maryborough () is a barony in County Laois (formerly called ''Queen's County'' or ''County Leix''), Ireland. Etymology Maryborough is the former name of the town of Portlaoise, established in 1548 and named after Queen ...

Maryborough West Maryborough West or West Maryborough () is a barony in County Laois (formerly called ''Queen's County'' or ''County Leix''), Ireland. Etymology Maryborough is the former name of the town of Portlaoise, established in 1548 and named after Qu ...

* Portnehinch * Slievemargue * Stradbally * 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 ...

(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 * Aghaboe *

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 Ballickmoyler or Ballicmoyler () is a small town in County Laois, Ireland. It lies southeast of Portlaoise, at the junction of the N80 national secondary road and the R429 regional road. Public transport During the week Ballickmoyler is serv ...

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 until ...

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 is ...

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 Ballyhide () is a rural townland and village in the extreme south eastern corner of County Laois, Ireland at the border with County Carlow. The nearest urban centre is Carlow town which is 3 kilometres to the north east. It is located in the L ...

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 Ballylinan ...

* 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 Mountrath ...

* Castletown *

* Coolrain *

Cullohill Cullahill or Cullohill () is a small village situated on the R639 road in County Laois, Ireland. Cullahill takes its name from an ancient forest that covered Cullahill Mountain and extended down to Cullahill Castle. History A priory of August ...

* 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 * Mountmellick * Mountrath * Newtown * Pike of Rushall * Portarlington *

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 fro ...

Rosenallis Rosenallis (historically ''Rossinallis'', from ) is a village in north County Laois, Ireland. It is in the foothills of the Slieve Bloom Mountains on the R422 Mountmellick to Birr road. Demographics In 2002, the population of the village's ca ...

Shanahoe Shanahoe () is a small village in County Laois, Republic of Ireland, Ireland, situated in the centre of the county, 8 km west of Abbeyleix and 7 km south of Mountrath. History and development Evidence of ancient settlement in the area ...

* Stradbally *

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 Wa ...

* Vicarstown

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 is the

governing County Laois. It has 19 councillors, and is divided into three local electoral areas, each of which is also a municipal district:

- Mountmellick (6), Graiguecullen- Portarlington (6), and

(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 and

, within the former rural district of Mountmellick, had town commissioners. 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 medie ...

(3 seats). It is part of the European Parliament constituency 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 *

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 ...

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 Stradbally Hall is a large house in Stradbally, County Laois, Ireland. It is owned by the Cosby family and is positioned in the heart of Stradbally, around ten minutes from Portlaoise on the N80. The estate has hosted the Electric Picnic boutiqu ...

*Mountmellick Quaker Museum * Ballyfin House
Roundwood House
*

Dunamaise Arts Centre Dunamaise Arts Centre () is an arts and cultural centre located in Portlaoise, Ireland, opened in 1999. History Maryborough Gaol was built in a Neoclassical style. It is a seven- bay, two-storey building over a concealed basement with a thr ...

, Portlaoise *Portlaoise Leisure Centre *

Tinnakill Castle Tinnakill Castle ( ga, Tigh na Coille, translation=house of the wood), also known as Tynekill, is a ruined medieval tower house in the parish of Coolbanagher, in the Barony of Portnahinch, County Laois in Ireland. Some sources suggest that the ...

*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 (

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 Midland may refer to: Places Australia * Midland, Western Australia Canada * Midland, Albert County, New Brunswick * Midland, Kings County, New Brunswick * Midland, Newfoundland and Labrador * Midland, Ontario India * Midland Ward, Kohima, Nagal ...

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

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, a village in County Offaly. * Durrow, County Laois, a town in County Laois. * Durrow, County Kilkenny Durrow (, formerly ''Darmhagh Ua nDuach'') is ...

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 The Rose of Tralee International Festival is an international event which is celebrated among Irish communities all over the world. The festival, held annually in the town of Tralee in County Kerry, takes its inspiration from a 19th-century ...

*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 *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 ''The Laois Voice'' was a local newspaper 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 ...

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 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,

and

. From Portarlington trains run on the Dublin-Galway/Westport/Ballina line to

Athlone Athlone (; ) is a town on the border of County Roscommon and County Westmeath, Ireland. It is located on the River Shannon near the southern shore of Lough Ree. It is the second most populous town in the Midlands Region with a population of ...

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

trains run on the Ballybrophy line to Nenagh and

direct.

Road transport

The M7 road runs through County Laois. This is one of the busiest roadways in

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

and acts as a trunk route for the M8 which connects

. 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 and Mountrath 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 where delays of up to 30 minutes or more were common.

Bus Éireann Bus Éireann (; "Irish Bus") is a state-owned bus and coach operator providing services throughout Ireland, with the exception of Dublin and the Greater Dublin Area, where bus services are provided by sister company Dublin Bus. It is a subsidia ...

provides regular intercity bus services in the county. The

service runs every hour through towns and villages on the old N7 road (now R445) while the

intercity bus service runs every two hours through towns in the county.

People

John George Adair John George Adair (3 March 1823– 4 May, 1885), sometimes known as Jack Adair, born in County Laois, Ireland, was a Scots-Irish businessman and landowner, financier of JA Ranch in the Texas Panhandle. Adair had made his fortune in Ireland bu ...

(1823–1885), builder of Glenveagh Castle and financier of

JA Ranch The JA Ranch is a historic cattle ranch in the Palo Duro Canyon in Armstrong County, Texas. Founded in 1876 by Charles Goodnight and John George Adair, it is the oldest cattle ranching operation in the Texas Panhandle. Its headquarters area was d ...

in the Texas Panhandle. *

Darina Allen Darina Hilda Allen (née O'Connell; born 13 June 1948) is an Irish chef, food writer, TV personality and founder of Ballymaloe Cookery School. Biography Darina Allen was born in Cullohill, County Laois, the eldest of nine children. The renow ...

(1953– ), TV chef. * John Barrett (1753–1821), Vice Provost, Trinity College, 1807–1821. * 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 (RTÉ) (; Irish language, Irish for "Radio & Television of Ireland") is the Public broadcaster, national broadcaster of Republic of Ireland, Ireland headquartered in Dublin. It both produces and broadcasts programmes on RTÉ Television, telev ...

's ''The Daily Show'' * Tony Byrne, former professional footballer who played for

. *

William Cosby Brigadier-General William Cosby (1690–1736) was an Irish soldier who served as the British colonial governor of New York from 1732 to 1736. During his short term, Cosby was portrayed as one of the most oppressive governors in the Thirteen Co ...

, governor of

New York New York most commonly refers to: * New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York * New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States New York may also refer to: Film and television * '' ...

from 1732 to 1736. *

Evelyn Cusack Evelyn Cusack (born 3 November 1957) is Head of Forecasting at Met Éireann, having worked there since 1981 and also served as a well known RTÉ weather presenter since 1988. She is former Secretary of the Irish Meteorological Society. Person ...

, Met Éireann meteorologist *

William Dargan William Dargan (28 February 1799 – 7 February 1867) was arguably the most important Irish engineer of the 19th century and certainly the most important figure in railway construction. Dargan designed and built Ireland's first railway lin ...

(1799–1867), responsible for the Industrial Exhibition, 1853. *

Cecil Day-Lewis Cecil Day-Lewis (or Day Lewis; 27 April 1904 – 22 May 1972), often written as C. Day-Lewis, was an Irish-born British poet and Poet Laureate from 1968 until his death in 1972. He also wrote mystery stories under the pseudonym of Nicholas Bla ...

(1904–1972), British Poet-Laureate, 1967–1972. *Dr.

Daniel Delany Daniel Delany DD (February 1747, in Paddock, Mountrath, Laois, Ireland – 9 July 1814, in Tullow, County Carlow) was the Roman Catholic Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin. Educated at the Irish College in Paris, he taught at the English Boys Col ...

(1747–1814), Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin. *

Eileen Dunne Eileen Dunne (born 28 April 1958) is a retired Irish journalist, newsreader and presenter with Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ), Ireland's national radio and television station, where she presented the main television news programmes ''Six One ...

(1958– ), TV newscaster. *

Denis Dynon Denis Dynon VC (September 1822 – 16 February 1863) was an Irish recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Details Bo ...

, recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

Oliver J. Flanagan Oliver James Flanagan (22 May 1920 – 26 April 1987) was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served as Minister for Defence from 1976 to 1977 and as a Parliamentary Secretary from 1954 to 1957 and from 1975 to 1976. He served as a Teachta Dála ...

(1920–1987), Minister for Defence, 1976–1977. *

Charles Flanagan Charlie Flanagan (born 1 November 1956) is an Irish Fine Gael politician who has been a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Laois–Offaly constituency since 2020, and previously from 1987 to 2002, 2007 to 2016 and from 2016 to 2020 for the Laois const ...

* Seán Fleming *

Ger Connolly Gerard C. Connolly (born 16 April 1937) is a former Irish Fianna Fáil politician. A farmer and auctioneer, Connolly was first elected to the 19th Dáil as a Teachta Dála (TD) for the Laois–Offaly constituency on his first attempt at the 1 ...

Stephen Hunt Stephen Hunt or Steven Hunt may refer to: Football *Stephen Hunt (footballer, born 1981), Republic of Ireland footballer *Stephen Hunt (footballer, born 1984), English footballer *Steve Hunt (footballer, born 1956), England, Coventry, Aston Villa ...

(1981–), professional footballer playing for

Wolverhampton Wanderers Wolverhampton Wanderers Football Club (), commonly known as Wolves, is a professional football club based in Wolverhampton, England, which compete in the . The club has played at Molineux Stadium since moving from Dudley Road in 1889. The club's ...

and

. *

Liam Hyland Liam Hyland (born 23 April 1933) is an Irish former Fianna Fáil politician who was an elected representative for over 25 years, as a Senator, Teachta Dála (TD) and Member of the European Parliament (MEP). Born in Ballacolla, County Laois, Hyl ...

* James Fintan Lalor (1807–1849), Young Irelander. * Peter Lalor (1827–1889), leader of the

Eureka Stockade The Eureka Rebellion was a series of events involving gold miners who revolted against the British administration of the colony of Victoria, Australia during the Victorian gold rush. It culminated in the Battle of the Eureka Stockade, which ...

miners revolt, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia. *

Patrick Lalor Patrick Joseph Lalor (19 July 1926 – 29 July 2016) was an Irish Fianna Fáil politician and former hurling player for Laois GAA, Laois. He was a Teachta Dála (TD) for Laois–Offaly (Dáil constituency), Laois–Offaly between 1961 and 1981, ...

Charles McDonald Charles McDonald may refer to: * Charles James McDonald (1793–1860), politician and jurist from the U.S. state of Georgia * Charles McDonald (Australian politician) (1860–1925), Speaker of the Australian House of Representatives * Charles McDon ...

James Macauley James Lowry Macauley (born 24 November 1889 – 8 October 1945), also known as Jim, was a professional footballer, who played for Rangers, Huddersfield Town and Preston North End. He also played football for Ireland, scoring one goal. He play ...

(1889–1945), former Ireland soccer international player. *Dr.

Bartholomew Mosse Bartholomew Mosse (1712 – 16 February 1759) was an Irish surgeon and impresario responsible for founding the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin. Early life Bartholemew Mosse was born in Dysart, 2 km east of Portlaoise (then called Maryborough), ...

(1712–1759), founder, Rotunda Maternity Hospital, Dublin. * David Murphy, Laois Gaelic footballer *

Valentine O'Hara Valentine James O'Hara (8 February 1875 – 8 October 1941) was a noted Irish author and authority on Russia and the Baltic States in the 1920s. Early life Valentine James O'Hara was born on 8 February 1875 in Bernere, Portarlington, County ...

(1875–1945), author and authority on

Russia Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...

and the

Baltic states The Baltic states, et, Balti riigid or the Baltic countries is a geopolitical term, which currently is used to group three countries: Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. All three countries are members of NATO, the European Union, the Eurozone, ...

. *

Kevin O'Higgins Kevin Christopher O'Higgins ( ga, Caoimhghín Críostóir Ó hUigín; 7 June 1892 – 10 July 1927) was an Irish politician who served as Vice-President of the Executive Council and Minister for Justice from 1922 to 1927, Minister for External ...

(1892–1927), TD and

Minister for Justice A Ministry of Justice is a common type of government department that serves as a justice ministry. Lists of current ministries of justice Named "Ministry" * Ministry of Justice (Abkhazia) * Ministry of Justice (Afghanistan) * Ministry of Just ...

. * Sean O'Rourke, broadcaster and journalist with

. *

Bernard O'Shea Bernard O'Shea is an Irish comedian from Durrow, County Laois, Ireland. He co-hosted the 2FM ''Breakfast Republic'' with Jennifer Zamparelli and Keith Walsh. He made his name on the satirical sketch TV show ''Republic of Telly''. O'Shea star ...

, comedian, best known for his roles on

's '' Republic of Telly''. *

Brian Rigney Brian Joseph Rigney (born 22 September 1963 in Portlaoise)Brian Rigney player profile
Scr ...

, former Ireland rugby international. *

Robin Roe Robin Roe (11 October 1928 – 15 July 2010) was an Irish clergyman known for his work as an army chaplain, and a rugby union player. Early life and education Roe was born in Skeirke, Borris-in-Ossory, County Laois. He started playing rugby a ...

(1928–2010), 19 times capped Irish rugby international who also played for the British and Irish Lions. *Hon.

William Russell Grace William Russell Grace (May 10, 1832 – March 21, 1904) was an Irish-American politician, the first Roman Catholic mayor of New York City, and the founder of W. R. Grace and Company. Early life Grace was born in Ireland in Riverstown near the C ...

(1832–1904), mayor of New York, 1880–1885. * John Shaw (1773–1823), U.S. Naval Officer. *

Robert Sheehan Robert Sheehan (born 7 January 1988) is an Irish actor. He is best known for television roles such as Nathan Young in ''Misfits'', Darren Treacy in '' Love/Hate'', and Klaus Hargreeves in ''The Umbrella Academy,'' as well as film roles such a ...

(1988– ), actor best known for playing Nathan Young on E4's comedy-drama, ''Misfits''. * Brian Stanley *

Kivas Tully Kivas Tully, ISO (1820 – 24 April 1905) was an Irish-Canadian architect. Life Born in Garryvacum in County Laois, Ireland, Kivas Tully was the son of John P. Tully, a lieutenant in the Royal Navy, and Alicia Willington. He trained as an archi ...

(1820–1905), architect, Trinity College, Toronto, the Custom House and the Bank of Montreal. *

Zach Tuohy Zach Tuohy (born 10 December 1989) is an Irish professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Tuohy grew up in Portlaoise, County Laois, Ireland, and played Gaelic footb ...

(1989–), professional

Australian rules football Australian football, also called Australian rules football or Aussie rules, or more simply football or footy, is a contact sport played between two teams of 18 players on an oval field, often a modified cricket ground. Points are scored by k ...

er, currently playing for

Geelong Football Club The Geelong Football Club, nicknamed the Cats, is a professional Australian rules football club based in Geelong, Victoria, Australia. The club competes in the Australian Football League (AFL), the sport's premier competition, and are the 2022 ...

. *

Colm Begley Colm Begley (born 31 August 1986) is an Irish Gaelic footballer from County Laois. He has also played Australian rules football for the St Kilda Football Club and the Brisbane Lions of the Australian Football League (AFL). Begley played ...

(1986–), Gaelic football player. He played

for the Brisbane Lions in the

AFL AFL may refer to: Sports * American Football League (AFL), a name shared by several separate and unrelated professional American football leagues: ** American Football League (1926) (a.k.a. "AFL I"), first rival of the National Football Leagu ...

. * Professor

Noel Fitzpatrick Noel Fitzpatrick is an Irish veterinary surgeon, based in Eashing, Surrey who came to prominence through the television programme The Supervet. Originally from Ballyfin, in Laois, Ireland, he moved to Guildford, Surrey, in 1993, where he ...

(1967–), Veterinary Surgeon for

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...

television series

The Supervet ''The Supervet: Noel Fitzpatrick'' (known as ''The Supervet'' from 2014 to 2019) is a Channel 4 television series following the work of Irish veterinary surgeon Noel Fitzpatrick and his team at Fitzpatrick Referrals in Eashing, Surrey. The serie ...

. * Fionn mac Cumhaill, mythical hunter-warrior of

Irish mythology Irish mythology is the body of myths native to the island of Ireland. It was originally passed down orally in the prehistoric era, being part of ancient Celtic religion. Many myths were later written down in the early medieval era by C ...

* Damien Bowe, singer and former member of Irish

boyband A boy band is loosely defined as a vocal group consisting of young male singers, usually in their teenage years or in their twenties at the time of formation. Generally, boy bands perform love songs marketed towards girls and young women. Many ...

D-Side D-Side were an Irish boy band established in 2001 by twins Rory and Eoghan MacSweeney, and signed to Edel Records. Edel brought in Kim Glover to manage the band after her success with New Kids on the Block, Ant & Dec (as PJ & Duncan), B*Witche ...

. *

Anne Keenan-Buckley Anne Keenan-Buckley in Portlaoise, County Laois) is a retired Irish middle distance runner who was on the Ireland 1988 Summer Olympic team. Running career Keenan-Buckley competed at 1988 Olympics in the 3000 metres where she finished in 2 ...

(1962–), a middle-distance runner who was on the Irish 1988 Summer Olympic team. *

John Whelan (Irish politician) John Whelan (born 24 March 1961) is an Irish Labour Party politician and former member of Seanad Éireann. A former journalist, Whelan was editor of the ''Leinster Express'' newspaper. He joined the Labour Party in 2010 and was selected as tha ...

Sport

Laois has a strong tradition of Gaelic games, with success at both

Gaelic football Gaelic football ( ga, Peil Ghaelach; short name '), commonly known as simply Gaelic, GAA or Football is an Irish team sport. It is played between two teams of 15 players on a rectangular grass pitch. The objective of the sport is to score by kic ...

and

hurling Hurling ( ga, iománaíocht, ') is an outdoor team game of ancient Gaelic Irish origin, played by men. One of Ireland's native Gaelic games, it shares a number of features with Gaelic football, such as the field and goals, the number of p ...

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 , image = , location = Portlaoise, County Laois, R32 CRF3, Ireland , coordinates = , opened = , renovated = 2002 , owner = Laois GAA , cost = , capaci ...

, the county's largest sporting venue, which is often used for hurling championship games. In rugby,

Portlaoise RFC Portlaoise RFC is an Irish rugby team based in Portlaoise, Leinster, playing in Division 1B of the Leinster League The Leinster League is the second tier of rugby in Leinster, behind the Leinster Senior League. It has five divisions. The champ ...

and

Portarlington RFC Portarlington RFC is an Irish rugby club based in Portarlington, County Laois, their men's senior team are playing in Division 2B of the Leinster League The Leinster League is the second tier of rugby in Leinster, behind the Leinster Senior L ...

compete in Division 2A of the Leinster League.

Twin towns

County Laois is a participant in the Twin Towns program and has a relationship with the following municipalities: : Arlington, Massachusetts, United States :

Carleton Place, Ontario Carleton Place is a town in Eastern Ontario, Canada, in Lanark County, about west of downtown Ottawa. It is located at the crossroads of Ontario Highway 15, Highway 15 and Ontario Highway 7, Highway 7, halfway between the towns of Perth, Ontario ...

, Canada (2008) :

Coulounieix-Chamiers Coulounieix-Chamiers (; oc, Colonhés e Champs Niers) is a commune in the Dordogne department in Nouvelle-Aquitaine in southwestern France. It is a suburb of Périgueux. Population International relations Coulounieix-Chamiers is twinned wi ...

, France (1996) : Franklin, Tennessee, United States (2008)

References

External links

*
Laois Tourism WebsiteOfficial website of Laois County CouncilThings to do in Laois – Tourist guideMap of castles, fortified houses and ruins in Laois
{{DEFAULTSORT:Laois, County 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