County Laois information

County Laois is a county in Ireland. It is located in the south of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster, and was formerly known as Queen's County. The modern county takes its name from Loígis, a medieval kingdom.

The population of County Laois is expanding rapidly, given its easy commute to Dublin and affordable housing in pleasant surroundings.

Image: County Laois

The county itself was created in 1556 by Mary I of England as Queen's County, Laois received its present Irish language name following the Irish War of Independence. Portlaoise (previously Maryborough) is the county town.

Towns

Below you will find a list of towns within County Laois. If a Further information link is available, please click on it to find detailed information including accommodation, restaurants, bars, pubs, shops and more...

Portlaoise - the county town of Laois

Abbeyleix

Mountmellick

Mountrath

Portarlington

Stradbally

Places of interest

Even though Laois is not the most popular tourist destination in Midlands, there are a number of various tourist attractions scattered around County Laois.

Abbeyleix Bog - Abbeyleix. A great spot for tourists to visit as it is situated close to the Abbeyleix town and covers of five hundred acres of cutaway, lag, bog, meadows and wet carr woodlands.

Ballintubbert Gardens - Ballintubbert. Designed by Sir Lutyens and recently went through a makeover and expansion process.

Ballaghmore Castle - Borris-in-Ossory. Built in 1480 and then partially destroyed by Cromwell's forces in 1647. It was restored in 1836 by a Mr. Ely who found a hoard of gold on the land.

Castle Durrow - Durrow. Castle Durrow was constructed in the 18th century and the Flower family resided in the house for over 200 years.

Emo Court - Emo. This country villa was designed in the 1700’s by architect James Gandon.

Gash Gardens - Castletown. May 1 – September 30. Monday-Saturday 10am-5pm. This is a relatively new garden which was started in 1986 by Noel Keenan.

Grantstown Lake - The lake is located very near to Durrow and has gone through an upgrade recently and a lake jetty, car park and new walking paths have been formed to encourage visitors to enjoy the surroundings to the fullest.

The Heywood Gardens - Ballinakill. These gardens provide visitors with a tranquil environment that allows them to absorb the beautiful sights and colours of a vibrant Irish garden that has a fantastic landscape to it. The gardens are owned and maintained by the office of public works.

Poet’s Cottage - Camross. The cottage gets its name from a poet by the name of Patrick Ryan who lived in Camross during 1750 and 1825 and wrote a lot of poetry about the scenic beauty and the local community.

The Rock of Dunamase - The site is situated one of Laois is low lying plans and has a castle that had been plundered by the Vikings in the past. This historic site also provides visitors with a spectacular view of the Irish country side and is a great place for photography.

Timahoe Round Tower - Timahoe. The Round Tower constructed in the 12th century.

Recommended accommodation in County Laois

Ivyleigh House, Portlaoise - All guests are guaranteed the "personal touch", combining a traditional Irish welcome with modern top class hospitality. At Ivyleigh, guests are pampered, cosseted and appreciated by a Family management focused on meeting the needs of each and every individual - Visit website - Book now

Roundwood House, Mountrath - Set at the foot of the Slieve Bloom Mountains, just over an hour from Dublin, Roundwood is a beautiful and historically significant 18th century Irish country house. Warm reception rooms filled with antique furniture, bedrooms lined with paintings and overflowing bookshelves, crackling fires, good food, lovely gardens and extensive outbuildings, all give rise to a unique Irish experience - Visit website - Book now