Laois is an inland county, one of the smallest at 664 square miles (1,726 square km), and is surrounded by Kildare, Offaly, Tipperary and Kilkenny. It’s picturesque, especially when you get away from main roads. Its landscape includes the Slieve Bloom Mountains , one of the oldest ranges in Ireland , which rise gently from the limestone central plain, with heather and blanket bog on their slopes.
top photo: Rural Ireland
Mount Arderin is known as the height, or top, of Ireland , from where (weather permitting) the four provinces can be seen. The mountains are a walker’s paradise with marvellous features, scenic views, and fascinating flora and fauna.
The countryside is dotted with remains of ring-forts, ruined strongholds and monastic buildings; more than 1,000 of them have been identified. Laois was created out of a number of unrelated Gaelic territories and became Queen’s County in 1556, when Mary was on the throne of England . Along with Offaly, this was the first county to be planted in Ireland .
Those early settlers were mainly smallholders, so you won’t find as many big estates with grand houses as you do elsewhere, although they did build some attractive towns and villages, and mansions at Abbeyleix and Emo.
The county suffered badly during the Great Famine, its population dropping from over 153,000 in 1841 to just over 73,000 in 1881. Like other counties, it had its workhouses, into which the poor were forced, among them the one at Donaghmore built in 1850.
Laois offers plenty of activities for visitors – riverside walks, charming villages and towns to discover, and lots of historic sites to visit. It’s also popular for fishing and playing golf.
Laois is pronounced “leesh” and Portlaoise, its county capital and largest town, as “port-leesha.” Its other main towns include Abbeyleix, Mountrath, Mountmellick and Portarlington.
Portloaise
The county’s capital was founded by Queen Mary in 1555 as a walled fort to protect the southern end of the Pale, and was named Maryborough after her. The first English court and jail in Ireland were built here, and today there’s still a large prison on the edge of town.
There are some interesting old streetscapes in the middle of town, and shops that are full of character, but the town seems rather overwhelmed by more modern developments. You can park just off the ring road and walk through to the center – it’s worth the effort in daytime as it’s busy with shoppers. But in the evenings it’s very quiet and there isn’t much choice of places to eat, though there are lots of pubs.
About four miles (6.4 km) east of Portlaoise is the Rock of Dunamase, which stands out above the surrounding countryside at a height of 150 feet – it was noticed by Ptolemy, the first-century map-maker. The town was a fort back in 140 AD and since then has had a fascinating history, mirroring Ireland’s, including being plundered by the Vikings in 842, and being given to Strongbow by the King of Leinster in 1169 as part of Aoife’s dowry. The first castle was built here in the mid-13th century and was the home of William Earl Marshall, then of the O’Moores of Laois. It was given to the Earl of Thomond in 1609, fought over during Cromwell’s time and destroyed by his soldiers.
The Great Heath at Maryborough below the Rock is one of the most significant archaeological sites in the country, with signs of ring barrows, ring forts and plough ridges.
Laois Heritage Trail
There’s a signposted Heritage Trail to follow around Co. Laois, which is a good way of exploring the county and seeing its history, stopping at sites when you’re interested. You can start it at various points, and I recommend Durrow on the N8, the main Cork-Dublin road. This estate village was developed by the Viscounts of Ashbrook, and has a group of interesting buildings around a green. Continue from there to Ballinakill, off R432, an example of a 17th-century market town. It’s worth stopping here to visit the beautiful Heywood Gardens , completed in 1912 by Sir Edward Lutyens, now on the grounds of the Community School . Heywood Gardens has four areas, linked by a terrace which ran in front of the house; sadly, it no longer exists.
Travel on then to Abbeyleix, which is another fine example of an estate town, developed by the Viscounts de Vesci, whose mansion and estate you pass on its outskirts. Although traffic passing through on the Dublin road spoils the enjoyment of its main street, it does have a lot of character. The carpets for the ill-fated Titanic were made here.
Go through Ballyroan to the delightful village of Timahoe , which has a 12th-century Round Tower with an impressive Romanesque doorway. It’s all that has survived of the original seventh-century monastic foundation.
Near Stradbally is the Rock of Dunamase, standing out above the countryside. After that, the trail brings you to the canal village of Vicarstown , and on to the gracious Emo Court House and Gardens.
Emo Court was designed in 1790 by Sir James Gandon for the first Earl of Portarlington. Gandon is famous for his Custom House, Four Courts, and other fine buildings in Dublin and elsewhere, including the delightful Coolbanagher Church nearby. Covering 75 acres, its gardens are wonderful, with great sweeps of formal lawns around the house, statuary, and lots of tree-lined walks and wilder areas farther away. They were laid out by two of the most admired garden designers – Capability Brown was responsible for the formal areas, and William Robinson for the others. Winston Churchill used to stay at Emo Court .
The Heritage Trail next takes you to Portarlington, which was settled by French Huguenots, and has many fine buildings, including Georgian houses with gardens stretching down to the river. Next, it’s on to Mountmellick, which has its own Walking Heritage Trail, with information boards around the town. It’s on a bend of the River Owenass, and was founded by Quakers in the 17th century as a center for cotton, linen and woolens.
Out of Mountmellick you follow the signs to Camross, a sweet little village at the foot of the Slieve Blooms. Here you can visit The Poet’s Cottage, which dates from the Great Famine.
