The Swan, County Laois
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Swan or The Swan () is a small village in
County Laois County Laois ( ; ) 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 medieval kingdom. Hist ...
,
Ireland Ireland (, ; ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe. Geopolitically, the island is divided between the Republic of Ireland (officially Names of the Irish state, named Irelan ...
. Around 20 km south-east of
Portlaoise Portlaoise ( ), or Port Laoise (), is the county town of County Laois, Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Midland Region, Ireland, South Midlands in the province of Leinster. Portlaoise was the fastest growing of the top 20 largest town ...
, it lies near the
County Kilkenny County Kilkenny () is a Counties of Ireland, county in Republic of Ireland, Ireland. It is in the Provinces of Ireland, province of Leinster and is part of the Southern Region, Ireland, Southern Region. It is named after the City status in Ir ...
border where the R430 regional road crosses the R426. The village lies within the
townland A townland (; Ulster-Scots: ''toonlann'') is a traditional small land division used in Ireland and in the Western Isles of Scotland, typically covering . The townland system is of medieval Gaelic origin, predating the Norman invasion, and mo ...
of Slatt (Lower), in the civil parish of Rathaspick.


History

The Swan is a relatively "new" village in County Laois, and is named after a local public house, The Swan Inn. A
fire clay Fire clay is a range of refractory clays used in the manufacture of ceramics, especially fire brick. The United States Environmental Protection Agency defines fire clay very generally as a "mineral aggregate composed of hydrous silicates of alumi ...
factory was opened in the area in 1935 to take advantage of local fire clay deposits.


Amenities

The village is largely linear, developed along the R430 regional road. There are no shops in the village, and it is served primarily by the pub, and a community centre in the centre of the village. Other community amenities include an outdoor playground and playing pitches. The local national (primary) school is Swan National School.


Economy

Fleming's Fireclays was started by PJ Fleming in 1935. It generated employment for the village and the surrounding areas and provided housing for many of its workers. These houses constituted nearly all the dwellings in the village until 2003, when two new housing projects began and the number of houses has almost doubled as a result. The factory utilises fireclay, which is an abundant local resource, to make bricks and chimney flues. The factory was rebranded as Lagan Brick when Flemings Fireclay was absorbed into the Lagan Group.


Sport

St Joseph's is the local
Gaelic Athletic Association The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA; ; CLG) is an Irish international amateur sports, amateur sporting and cultural organisation, focused primarily on promoting indigenous Gaelic games and pastimes, which include the traditional Irish sports o ...
club and takes its players from Luggacurren, Wolfhill and Ballyadams. Some players of note from the Swan have included Tom Kelly and Joe Higgins, both of whom received
GAA All Stars Awards The Gaelic Athletic Association-Gaelic Players' Association All Stars Awards (often known simply as the All Stars) are awarded annually to the best player in each of the 15 playing positions in Gaelic football and hurling. Additionally, one play ...
in 2003. Joe Higgins also won several boxing titles, including nine Leinster and two
All-Ireland All-Ireland (sometimes All-Island) is a term used to describe organisations and events whose interests extend over the entire island of Ireland, as opposed to the separate jurisdictions of the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. "All-Irelan ...
boxing titles. The local soccer team, Wolfhill Athletic, play in the Premier Division of the Carlow League. In the 2004/2005 season, the club won the Carlow Challenge cup. There is also an Over 35's team which has won their league in 2006/2007, 2008/2009 and 2009/2010. Former jockey turned trainer, Kevin O'Brien, has established a stable in the area.


See also

* List of towns and villages in Ireland


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Swan, County Laois Towns and villages in County Laois