View source for County Laois

{{Short description|County in Ireland}}
{{Redirect|Laois}}
{{Use Hiberno-English|date=July 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox settlement
|name                   = County Laois
|native_name            = {{lang|ga|Contae Laoise}}
|settlement_type        = [[Counties of Ireland|County]]
|native_name_lang       = ga
|image_shield           = Arms of County Laois.svg
|shield_size            = 90px
|flag_size              = 100px
|nickname               = The O'Moore County
| motto = {{force singular}} {{langx|ga|I bpáirt leis an bpobal}}<br />"In partnership with the community"
|image_map              = Island_of_Ireland_location_map_Laois.svg
|area_total_km2         = 1720
|area_rank              = [[List of Irish counties by area|23rd]]
|seat_type              = [[County town]]
|seat                   = [[Portlaoise]]
|blank_name_sec1        = [[Vehicle registration plates of Ireland|Vehicle index<br />mark code]]
|blank_info_sec1        = LS
|population_total       = 91657
|population_density_km2 = auto
|population_rank        = [[List of Irish counties by population|23rd]]
|population_as_of       = [[2022 census of Ireland|2022]]
|population_footnotes   = <ref name=cso2022>{{cite web |url=https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/ep/p-cpr/censusofpopulation2022-preliminaryresults/geographicchanges/ |title=Census of Population 2022 – Preliminary Results |date=23 June 2022 |publisher=[[Central Statistics Office (Ireland)]] |access-date=23 May 2023}}</ref>
|leader_title           = [[Local government in the Republic of Ireland|Local authority]]
|leader_name            = [[Laois County Council]]
|leader_title2          = [[Dáil constituency]]
|leader_name2           = [[Laois (Dáil constituency)|Laois]]
|leader_title3          = [[European Parliament constituencies in the Republic of Ireland|EP constituency]]
|leader_name3           = [[South (European Parliament constituency)|South]]
|subdivision_type       = [[Sovereign state|Country]]
|subdivision_name       = [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]
|subdivision_type1      = [[Provinces of Ireland|Province]]
|subdivision_name1      = [[Leinster]]
|subdivision_type2      = [[NUTS statistical regions of Ireland|Region]]
|subdivision_name2      = [[Eastern and Midland Region|Eastern and Midland]]
|website                = {{official website}}
|timezone               = [[Western European Time|WET]]
|utc_offset             = ±0
|timezone_DST           = [[Irish Standard Time|IST]]
|utc_offset_DST         = +1
|established_title      = [[Counties of Leix and Offaly Act 1556|Established]]
|established_date       = 1556<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.historyireland.com/early-modern-history-1500-1700/geographical-loyalty-counties-palatinates-boroughs-and-ridings/|title='Geographical loyalty'? Counties, palatinates, boroughs and ridings|date=6 March 2013|access-date=23 June 2019|archive-date=23 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190623214300/https://www.historyireland.com/early-modern-history-1500-1700/geographical-loyalty-counties-palatinates-boroughs-and-ridings/|url-status=live}}</ref>
| area_code_type        = [[Telephone numbers in the Republic of Ireland|Telephone area codes]]
| area_code             = 057 <small>(primarily)</small>
| postal_code_type      = [[Eircode]] routing keys
| postal_code           = R32 <small>(primarily)</small>
| elevation_max_m       = 527
| elevation_max_point   = [[Arderin]]
| module                = {{infobox mapframe|zoom=8}}
| iso_code              = IE-LS
}}
'''County Laois''' ({{IPAc-en|l|iː|ʃ}} {{respell|LEESH}}; {{langx|ga|Contae Laoise}}) is a [[Counties of Ireland|county]] in [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]]. It is part of the [[Eastern and Midland Region]] and in the [[Provinces of Ireland|province]] of [[Leinster]]. It was known as '''Queen's County''' from 1556 to 1922.<ref>Laois County Council site: History of Laois https://laois.ie/departments/heritage/history-of-laois/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210907190622/https://laois.ie/departments/heritage/history-of-laois/ |date=7 September 2021 }}</ref> The modern county takes its name from [[Loígis]], a medieval kingdom. Historically, it has also been known as '''County Leix.'''

[[Laois County Council]] is the [[Local government in the Republic of Ireland|local authority]] for the county, and is based in [[Portlaoise]].

At the 2022 census, the population of the county was 91,657,<ref name=cso2022/> 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{{citation needed|date=March 2022}}. They hunted in the forests that covered Laois and fished in its rivers, gathering nuts and berries to supplement their diets.<!-- They must have done more than pass through. Where did they come from? where did they go? -->

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]] 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]] 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]] 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]] that date from this time period.

The county name derives from [[Loígis]], 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]].

By the first century AD, the western third of Laois was part of the [[Kingdom of Ossory]]. The eastern part was roughly divided into seven parts, which were ruled by the Seven [[Sept]]s of [[Loígis]]:Ua/Ó Mórdha (O'More,O'Moore), O'Lalor, O'Doran, O'Dowling, O'Devoy (O'Deevy), O'Kelly and McEvoy.
[[File:Ireland900.png|thumb|Map of Ireland around 900 AD. The western third of Laois was part of the [[Kingdom of Osraige]].]]

===Introduction of Christianity===
When Ireland was [[Christianization|Christianised]], holy men and women founded religious communities in [[Loígis]].  St. [[Ciarán of Saighir]] (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]], reputedly before [[St. Patrick]]. 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 [[monastery|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]] and [[Dominican Order|Dominicans]] established themselves at Aghaboe Abbey, while the [[Cistercians]] took over an older religious community at Abbeyleix.

===Norman invasion===
The [[Norman invasion of Ireland]] in 1169–71 affected Laois as it was a part of the [[List of Kings of Leinster|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 [[motte]]s. They also built stone fortresses, such as Lea Castle, just outside [[Portarlington, County Laois|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 [[Loígis]] caused the Normans to withdraw. The [[Dempsey]]s seized [[Lea Castle]], while Dunamase came into the ownership of the O’Mores. Examples of [[tower house]]s built by the Irish [[Mac Giolla Phádraig]] chieftains are found at [[Ballaghmore Castle|Ballaghmore]] and [[Cullahill Castle]], both decorated with [[Sheela na gig]]s.

In 1548, the English confiscated the lands of the O’Mores and built "Campa", known as the Fort of Leix, today's [[Portlaoise]].

=== 16th century colony and County status===
[[File:Emo, County Laois - geograph.org.uk - 1811906.jpg|thumb|A church in [[Emo, County Laois|Emo]]]]

{{Historical populations
|state=collapsed
|1500|6557
|1510|8378
|1550|11222
|1580|15301
|1585|16435
|1600|6828
|1610|7990
|1653|9915
|1659|11115
|1672|13589
|1680|17777
|1690|21255
|1700|24713
|1710|27689
|1725|32808
|1735|41577
|1745|41097
|1755|40888
|1765|51286
|1771|58411
|1775|67870
|1788|76903
|1790|93679
|1801|95820
|1811|111227
|1813|108950
|1816|122888
|1821|134275
|1831|145851
|1841|153930
|1851|111664
|1861|90650
|1871|79771
|1881|73124
|1891|64883
|1901|57417
|1911|54629
|1926|51540
|1936|50109
|1946|49697
|1951|48430
|1956|47087
|1961|45069
|1966|44595
|1971|45259
|1979|49936
|1981|51171
|1986|53284
|1991|52314
|1996|52945
|2002|58774
|2006|67059
|2011|80559
|2016|84697
|2022|91657
||footnote=<ref name=cso2022/><ref name=cso2016>{{cite web | url = http://census.cso.ie/sapmap2016/Results.aspx?Geog_Type=CTY31&Geog_Code=2AE19629148D13A3E055000000000001 | title = Census 2016 Sapmap Area: County Laois | publisher = [[Central Statistics Office (Ireland)]] | access-date = 5 January 2019 | archive-date = 5 January 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190105145401/http://census.cso.ie/sapmap2016/Results.aspx?Geog_Type=CTY31&Geog_Code=2AE19629148D13A3E055000000000001 | url-status = live }}</ref><ref>For 1653 and 1659 figures from Civil Survey Census of those years, Paper of Mr Hardinge to Royal Irish Academy 14 March 1865.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cso.ie/census|title=Server Error 404 – CSO – Central Statistics Office|website=CSO|access-date=23 June 2019|archive-date=21 March 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190321114801/https://www.cso.ie/census|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>[http://www.histpop.org histpop.org] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160507023856/http://www.histpop.org/ |date=7 May 2016 }}</ref><ref>[http://www.nisranew.nisra.gov.uk/census nisranew.nisra.gov.uk] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120217095720/http://www.nisranew.nisra.gov.uk/census |date=17 February 2012 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book
|last=Lee|first=J. J.| author-link =J. J. Lee (historian)|editor-last=Goldstrom|editor-first=J. M.|editor2-last=Clarkson
|editor2-first=L. A.|title=Irish Population, Economy, and Society: Essays in Honour of the Late K. H. Connell
|year=1981|publisher=Clarendon Press|location=Oxford, England
|chapter=On the accuracy of the [[Great Famine (Ireland)|Pre-famine]] Irish censuses}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal  | last1 = Mokyr  | first1 = Joel
  | author-link = Joel Mokyr  | last2 = Ó Gráda  | first2 = Cormac
  | author2-link = Cormac Ó Gráda  | title = New Developments in Irish Population History, 1700–1850  | journal = The Economic History Review  | volume = 37  | issue =  4
  | pages = 473–488  | series = Volume  |date=November 1984
  | url = http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120035880/abstract  | archive-url = https://archive.today/20121204160709/http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/120035880/abstract  | url-status = dead  | archive-date = 2012-12-04  | doi = 10.1111/j.1468-0289.1984.tb00344.x  | hdl = 10197/1406  | hdl-access = free  }}</ref>
}}
It was [[Counties of Leix and Offaly Act 1556|shired in 1556]] by [[Mary I of England|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]].<ref>"An Act whereby the King and Queen's Majesties, and the Heires and Successors of the Queen, be entituled to the Countries of Leix, Slewmarge, Irry, Glimnaliry, and Offaily, and for making the same Countries Shire Grounds."; Phil. & Mar., 1556 c.2</ref> Laois received its present [[Irish language]] name following the [[Irish War of Independence]]. Laois was also sometimes spelt "Leix". Portlaoise (previously '''Maryborough''') is the main town of the county.

[[Loígis]] was the subject of two organised [[Plantations of Ireland|plantations]] or colonisations by the [[Kingdom of England]] 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]], 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.<ref>(Cal. State Papers, Irish Ser. 1574–85, pp. 392, 412)</ref>{{better source needed|date=December 2022}}

The second, more successful plantation of the county took place in the aftermath of the [[Nine Years' War (Ireland)|Nine Years' War]], and expanded the existing English settlements with more landowners and tenants. In 1659, a group of [[Quakers]] led by William Edmundson, settled in Mountmellick, while a group of [[Huguenot]]s were given refuge in Portarlington in 1696 after their service to [[William III of England|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]]. In 1836, a branch of the Grand Canal stretched to [[Mountmellick]], further stimulating industry in that town.

The [[Great Famine (Ireland)|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, County Laois|Donaghmore]] in 1853, many of the poorest had emigrated or died.

The English language was already dominant in much of Leinster by the time of the famine, but the [[Irish language]] was still spoken in Laois as late as the 1870s.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Gliasáin |first=Justin Ó |date=2023-01-03 |title=Ireland's language shift: when Irish speakers switched to English |url=https://www.rte.ie/brainstorm/2023/0103/1342716-irelands-language-shift-when-irish-speakers-switched-to-english/ |language=en}}</ref>

The county was known as Queen's County ({{langx|ga|Contae na Banríona}}) from 1556 until its name was informally changed on the establishment of the [[Irish Free State]] in 1922. The county's name was formerly spelt as ''Laoighis'' and ''Leix''. In the [[Local Government Act 2001]], 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 deed#Title deed|title deeds]] are still updated as being in ''Queen's County''.

==Geography and subdivisions==
[[File:Portlaoise, County Laois - geograph.org.uk - 1805202.jpg|thumb|The [[M7 motorway (Ireland)|M7]] near [[Portlaoise]]]]

Laois is the 23rd in both in area and population of Ireland's 32 counties.<ref>{{cite book| first=Eoghan| last=Corry| title=The GAA Book of Lists| publisher=Hodder Headline Ireland| year=2005| pages=186–191}}</ref> 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]], not bordering any other county which touches the coast.

===Baronies===
The county was formerly divided into nine [[Barony (Ireland)|baronies]]:

*[[Ballyadams]]
*[[Cullenagh]]
*[[Maryborough East]]
*[[Maryborough West]]
*[[Portnehinch]]
*[[Slievemargy]]
*[[Stradbally (barony)|Stradbally]]
*[[Tinnahinch (barony)|Tinnahinch]]
*[[Upper Ossory]] (later divided into [[Upper Woods]], [[Clarmallagh]] and [[Clandonagh]])

=== Towns and villages===
[[File:ViewFromDunamase.JPG|thumb|Countryside south of Portlaoise]]

{{Div col|small=no|colwidth=10em}}
* [[Abbeyleix]]
* [[Aghaboe]]
* [[Arless|Arles]]
* [[Ballacolla]]
* [[Ballaghmore, County Laois|Ballaghmore]]
* [[Ballickmoyler]]
* [[Ballinakill]]
* [[Ballybrittas]]
* [[Ballybrophy]]
* [[Ballyhide]]
* [[Ballyfin]]
* [[Ballylinan]]
* [[Ballyroan, County Laois|Ballyroan]]
* [[Barrowhouse, County Laois|Barrowhouse]]
* [[Borris-in-Ossory]]
* [[Camross]]
* [[Castletown, County Laois|Castletown]]
*[[Clonaghadoo]]
* [[Clonaslee]]
* [[Coolrain]]
* [[Cullahill]]
* [[Donaghmore, County Laois|Donaghmore]]
* [[Durrow, County Laois|Durrow]]
* [[Emo, County Laois|Emo]]
* [[Errill]]
* [[The Heath, County Laois|The Heath]]
* [[Jamestown, County Laois|Jamestown]]
* [[Killeshin]]
* [[Mountmellick]]
* [[Mountrath]]
* [[Newtown, County Laois|Newtown]]
* [[Pike of Rushall]]
* [[Portarlington, County Laois|Portarlington]]
* [[Portlaoise]]
*[[Raheen, County Laois|Raheen]]
* [[Rathdowney]]
* [[Rosenallis]]
* [[Shanahoe]]
* [[Stradbally]]
* [[The Swan, County Laois|The Swan]]
* [[Timahoe]]
* [[Vicarstown]]
{{div col end}}

===Climate===
For climatological information see: durrow.ie<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.durrow.ie/visitors-guide/weather/ |title=Weather » Durrow Online |access-date=2012-05-17 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102164522/http://www.durrow.ie/visitors-guide/weather/ |archive-date=2 November 2012}}</ref> 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 a [http://www.laoisweather.com website] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100626085010/http://www.laoisweather.com/ |date=26 June 2010 }} 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&nbsp; cm, 10&nbsp; cm and 20&nbsp; 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===
[[File:Laois County Council, 2021-07-21, 02.jpg|thumb|[[County Hall, Portlaoise]]]]
{{Main|Laois County Council}}
[[Laois County Council]] is the [[Local government in the Republic of Ireland|local authority]] governing County Laois. It has 19 councillors, and is divided into three [[local electoral area]]s, each of which is also a municipal district: [[Borris-in-Ossory]]-[[Mountmellick]] (6), Graiguecullen-[[Portarlington, County Laois|Portarlington]] (6), and [[Portlaoise]] (7).<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|name=County of Laois Local Electoral Areas and Municipal Districts Order 2018|year=2018|type=si|number=622|date=19 December 2018}}</ref>

The council has two representatives on the [[Eastern and Midland Regional Assembly]] where it is part of the [[Midland Region, Ireland|Midland]] strategic planning area.<ref>{{Cite Irish legislation|year=2014|type=si|number=573|name=Local Government Act 1991 (Regional Assemblies) (Establishment) Order 2014|date=16 December 2014|access-date=29 January 2022}}</ref>

===Former districts===
It was formerly divided into the [[rural district (Ireland)|rural district]]s of Abbeyleix, Athy No. 2, Mountmellick, Roscrea No. 3, and Slievemargy.<ref>{{cite web |title=1926 Census: Table 9: Population, Area and Valuation of urban and rural districts and of all towns with a population of 1,500 inhabitants or over, showing particulars of town and village population and of the number of persons per 100 acres |url=https://www.cso.ie/en/media/csoie/census/census1926results/volume1/C_1926_V1_T9.pdf |publisher=Central Statistics Office |pages=21 |access-date=21 May 2022}}</ref> The rural districts were abolished in 1925.<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|year=1925|parl=ifs|number=5|name=[[Local Government Act 1925]]|date=26 March 1925|section=3|stitle=Abolition of rural district councils|access-date=22 December 2021}}</ref> [[Mountmellick]] and [[Portlaoise]], within the former rural district of Mountmellick, had [[town commissioners]]. These became [[town council (Ireland)|town councils]] in 2002.<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|name=[[Local Government Act 2001]]|year=2001|schedno=6|stitle=Local Government Areas (Towns)|number=37|date=21 July 2001|access-date=21 May 2022}}</ref> All town councils in Ireland were abolished in 2014.<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|name=[[Local Government Reform Act 2014]]|year=2014|section=24|stitle=Dissolution of town councils and transfer date|number=1|date=27 January 2014|access-date=21 May 2022}}</ref>

===National politics===
Most of County Laois is part of the [[Dáil constituency]] of [[Laois–Offaly (Dáil constituency)|Laois–Offaly]] (5 seats), with the [[electoral division (Ireland)|electoral division]]s of Ballybrittas, Jamestown, Kilmullen, Portarlington South, in the former rural district of Mountmellick, in the [[Kildare South (Dáil constituency)|Kildare South]] constituency.<ref name=ea_2017>{{cite Irish legislation|name=[[Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2017]]|year=2017| schedule=y|number=39|access-date=10 April 2018}}</ref> 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 (Dáil constituency)|Laois]] (3 seats).<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|year=2013|number=7|schedule=y|name=[[Electoral (Amendment) (Dáil Constituencies) Act 2013]]|access-date=21 May 2022}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.laoistoday.ie/2017/06/27/laois-offaly-constituency-return-next-general-election/ |title=Laois Offaly constituency return for next general election |date=27 June 2017 |access-date=6 July 2017 |archive-date=5 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180905215009/https://www.laoistoday.ie/2017/06/27/laois-offaly-constituency-return-next-general-election/ |url-status=live }}</ref>

It is part of the [[European Parliament constituencies in the Republic of Ireland|European Parliament constituency]] of [[South (European Parliament constituency)|South]] (5 seats).<ref>{{cite Irish legislation|year=2019|number=7|section=7|stitle=Substitution of Third Schedule to Principal Act|name=European Parliament Elections (Amendment) Act 2019|date=12 March 2019|access-date=21 May 2022}}</ref>

==Places of interest==
{{See also|List of National Monuments in County Laois}}
[[File:RockDunmase22.jpg|thumb|[[Rock of Dunamase]]]]

*[[Slieve Bloom Mountains]]
*[[Rock of Dunamase]]
*[[Emo Court]]
*[[Castle Durrow]]
*[[Timahoe#The Church.2C Castle and Round Tower|Timahoe Round Tower]]
*[[Stradbally Hall]]
*Mountmellick Quaker Museum
*[[Ballyfin#The Hotel|Ballyfin House]]
*[http://roundwoodhouse.com/ Roundwood House]
*[[Dunamaise Arts Centre]], Portlaoise
*Portlaoise Leisure Centre
*[[Tinnakill Castle]]
*Abbeyleix Bog Project
*Heywood gardens(Lutyens)
*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.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://beautifulstay.holiday/castles-in-laois-map|title=Castles in Laois, Ireland – Complete Travel Guide and The Map|website=beautifulstay.holiday|access-date=23 June 2019|archive-date=16 June 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190616062525/http://beautifulstay.holiday/castles-in-laois-map|url-status=live}}</ref>

==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%),<ref>{{cite web|title=Demographic context |work=Offaly County Council Development Plan 2009 – 2015 |url=http://www.offaly.ie/NR/rdonlyres/A4AD027E-87E4-4353-917B-47C75D92768F/1095/Chapter2ContextandChallenges_FEB08.pdf |access-date=2008-06-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081030030920/http://www.offaly.ie/NR/rdonlyres/A4AD027E-87E4-4353-917B-47C75D92768F/1095/Chapter2ContextandChallenges_FEB08.pdf |archive-date=30 October 2008}}</ref> as follows:<ref>{{cite web | title=Draft Stradbally Town Plan | work=Laois County Council | url=http://www.laois.ie/media/Media,4872,en.pdf | access-date=2008-06-29 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081030030920/http://www.laois.ie/media/Media,4872,en.pdf | archive-date=30 October 2008 | url-status=dead}}</ref>
*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.<ref name=cso2016/>

As of the [[2022 census of Ireland|2022 census]], County Laois had a usual resident population of 91,284. Of these, 79.0% identified as White Irish, 0.9% as White Irish Travellers, and 9.2% as Other White ethnicities. 2.1% identified as Black or Black Irish, 2.2% as Asian or Asian Irish, and 1.7% as Other ethnicities. 5.0% of the population did not state their ethnicity.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://visual.cso.ie/?body=entity/ima/cop/2022&boundary=C03789V04537&guid=2ae19629-148d-13a3-e055-000000000001&theme=1 | title = Census Mapping - Local Authorities: County Laois- Population Snapshot | publisher = CSO | work = Census 2022 | access-date = 21 January 2025 }}</ref>

==Economy==
Industrial parks are located in Portlaoise, Portarlington and Mountmellick. The county receives EU funding as it is part of the cluster of three [[NUTS 3 statistical regions of the Republic of Ireland|regions]] ([[Border Region|Border]], [[Midland Region, Ireland|Midland]] and [[West Region, Ireland|West]]), colloquially known as "BMW", that qualifies for special funding aid. {{update inline|date=March 2022}}

Agricultural activities occupy approximately 70% of the land area of the county ({{convert|1200|km2|sqmi|abbr=on|disp=or}}). 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cso.ie/en/index.html|title=Home – CSO – Central Statistics Office|website=CSO|access-date=23 June 2019|archive-date=20 September 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100920090850/http://cso.ie/census/|url-status=live}}</ref> 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 [[Portlaoise]] which opened in 1999.
There are many festivals held in Laois each year including:

{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}
*[[Durrow Die-Cast Model and Toy Show]]
*[[Halloween Howls]]
*Laois Bealtaine Festival
*Half Door Club Music & Set Dance Festival
*[[Rose of Tralee Regional Finals]]
*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]]
*[[Electric Picnic]]
*Maureen Culleton Festival of Dance
*[[B.A.R.E in the Woods]]
*Fisherstown Trad Festival
*Ossory Agricultural Show
*William Edmundson & Friends Gathering
*Mountmellick Drama Festival
*Laois International Golf Challenge
{{div col end}}

==Media==
===Newspapers===
*''[[The Laois Voice]]''
*''[[Laois Nationalist]]''

==Railways==
[[Iarnród Éireann]] train services along the [[Dublin-Cork railway line|Dublin-Cork line]] connects the county between [[Dublin Heuston railway station|Heuston station]] and [[Cork railway station|Cork]], [[Limerick railway station|Limerick]], travel through the county, with railway stations at [[Portarlington railway station|Portarlington]], [[Portlaoise railway station|Portlaoise]] and [[Ballybrophy railway station|Ballybrophy]]. From [[Portarlington railway station|Portarlington]] trains run on the [[Dublin-Westport/Galway railway line|Dublin-Galway/Westport/Ballina line]] to [[Athlone railway station|Athlone]] as well as [[Galway railway station|Galway]], [[Westport railway station, Mayo|Westport]] and [[Ballina railway station|Ballina]]. From [[Ballybrophy railway station|Ballybrophy]] trains run on the [[Limerick-Ballybrophy railway line|Ballybrophy line]] to [[Nenagh railway station|Nenagh]] and [[Limerick railway station|Limerick]] direct.

'''<u>Past Railways</u>'''

There used to be railway stations at Mountmellick and Abbeyleix which now the station houses have become residences.

Both stations stopped in the 60s.

The line was from Kilkenny city to Abbeyleix to Portlaoise and then on to Mountmellick.It was originally planned that the line would go on to connect Mountmellick to Geashill and with possibility for another line from Geashill to Mullingar but these were never built leaving Mountmellick as a dead end.Mountmellick being a dead end lead to its closure the Portlaoise to Abbeyleix to Kilkenny city line closed as it was not as popular as the Carlow to Kilkenny line.

==Road transport==
The [[M7 motorway (Ireland)|M7]] road runs through County Laois. This is one of the busiest roadways in [[Ireland]] connecting [[Dublin]] and [[Limerick]] and acts as part of the route for the [[M8 motorway (Ireland)|M8]] which connects [[Cork (city)|Cork]] to [[Dublin]]. 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]] provides regular intercity bus services in the county. The [[Dublin]] to [[Limerick]] service runs every hour through towns and villages on the old N7 road (now [[R445 road|R445]]) while the [[Dublin]] to [[Cork (city)|Cork]] intercity bus service runs every two hours through towns in the county.

==People==<!-- Please respect alphabetical order -->
{{See also|Category:People from County Laois}}
*[[John George Adair]] (1823–1885), builder of [[Glenveagh Castle]] and financier of [[JA Ranch]] in the [[Texas Panhandle]].
*[[Darina Allen]] (1953– ), TV chef.
*[[John Barrett (clergyman)|John Barrett]] (1753–1821), Vice Provost, Trinity College, 1807–1821.
*[[Jonah Barrington (judge)|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]]'s ''The Daily Show''
*[[Tony Byrne (footballer born 1946)|Tony Byrne]], former professional footballer who played for [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Ireland]].
*[[Ned Campion]] (1937- ), Equestrian competitor for Ireland in [[1968 Summer Olympics]]
*[[Des Connolly]], footballer
*[[William Cosby]], governor of [[New York Colony|New York]] from 1732 to 1736.
*[[Evelyn Cusack]], [[Met Éireann]] meteorologist
*[[William Dargan]] (1799–1867), responsible for the Industrial Exhibition, 1853.
*[[Cecil Day-Lewis]] (1904–1972), British Poet-Laureate, 1967–1972.
*[[Daniel Delany]] (1747–1814), Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin.
*[[Eileen Dunne]] (1958– ), TV newscaster.
*[[Denis Dynon]], recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]]
*[[Oliver J. Flanagan]] (1920–1987), Minister for Defence, 1976–1977.
*[[Charles Flanagan]]
*[[Seán Fleming]]
*[[Stephen Hunt (footballer born 1981)|Stephen Hunt]] (1981–), professional footballer playing for [[Wolverhampton Wanderers]] and [[Republic of Ireland national football team|Ireland]].
*[[Liam Hyland]]
*[[Anne Jellicoe]] Founder of [[Alexandra College]].
*[[James Fintan Lalor]] (1807–1849), Young Irelander.
*[[Peter Lalor]] (1827–1889), leader of the [[Eureka Stockade]] miners revolt, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.
*[[Patrick Lalor]]
*[[Charles McDonald (Irish politician)|Charles McDonald]]
*[[James Macauley]] (1889–1945), former Ireland soccer international player.
*[[Bartholomew Mosse]] (1712–1759), founder, Rotunda Maternity Hospital, Dublin.
*[[David Murphy (Laois Gaelic footballer)|David Murphy]], Laois Gaelic footballer
*[[Valentine O'Hara]] (1875–1945), author and authority on [[Russia]] and the [[Baltic states]].
*[[Kevin O'Higgins]] (1892–1927), TD and [[Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration|Minister for Justice]].
*[[Sean O'Rourke]], broadcaster and journalist with [[RTÉ]].
*[[Bernard O'Shea]], comedian, best known for his roles on [[RTÉ]]'s ''[[Republic of Telly]]''.
*[[Brian Rigney]], former Ireland rugby international.
*[[Robin Roe]] (1928–2010), 19 times capped Irish rugby international who also played for the [[British and Irish Lions]].
*Hon. [[William Russell Grace]] (1832–1904), mayor of New York, 1880–1885.
*[[John Shaw (navy)|John Shaw]] (1773–1823), U.S. Naval Officer.
*[[Robert Sheehan]] (1988– ), actor best known for playing Nathan Young on [[E4 (TV channel)|E4]]'s comedy-drama, [[Misfits (TV series)|''Misfits'']].
*[[Brian Stanley (politician)|Brian Stanley]]
*[[Kivas Tully]] (1820–1905), architect, Trinity College, Toronto, the Custom House and the Bank of Montreal.
*[[Zach Tuohy]] (1989–), professional [[Australian rules football]]er, currently playing for [[Geelong Football Club]].
*[[Colm Begley]] (1986–), Gaelic football player. He played [[Australian rules football]] for the [[Brisbane Lions]] in the [[Australian Football League|AFL]].
* Professor [[Noel Fitzpatrick]] (1967–), Veterinary Surgeon for [[Channel 4]] television series [[The Supervet]].
*[[Fionn mac Cumhaill]], mythical hunter-warrior of [[Irish mythology]]
*[[Damien Bowe]], singer and former member of Irish [[boyband]] [[D-Side]].
*[[Anne Keenan-Buckley]] (1962–), a middle-distance runner who was on the Irish [[1988 Summer Olympics|1988 Summer Olympic]] team.
*[[John Whelan (Irish politician)]]

==Sport==
{{See also|Laois GAA}}

Laois has a strong tradition of Gaelic games, with success at both [[Gaelic football]] and [[hurling]]. [[Laois GAA|Laois]] 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,{{when|date=August 2022}} 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]], the county's largest sporting venue, which is often used for hurling championship games.{{citation needed|date=August 2022}}

In rugby, [[Portlaoise RFC]] and [[Portarlington RFC]] compete in Division 2A of the [[Leinster League]].

==Twin towns==
County Laois is a participant in the [[Twin towns and sister cities|Twin Towns]] program and has a relationship with the following municipalities:

:{{flagicon|USA}} [[Arlington, Massachusetts]], United States
:{{flagicon|FRA}} [[Coulounieix-Chamiers]], France (1996)
:{{flagicon|US}} [[Franklin, Tennessee]], United States (2008)<ref name="sistercities">{{cite web |url=http://sistercitiestn.org/?page_id=72 |title=Sister Cities of Franklin |work=sistercitiestn.org |access-date=12 October 2014 |archive-date=25 December 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181225082045/http://sistercitiestn.org/our-sister-cities/county-laois-ireland/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[Laois Feile]]
* [[List of monastic houses in Ireland#County Laois|List of abbeys and priories in the Republic of Ireland (County Laois)]]
* [[List of towns and villages in the Republic of Ireland|List of towns and villages in Ireland]]
* [[Lord Lieutenant of Queen's County]]
* [[High Sheriff of Queen's County]]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

== External links ==
{{commons category}}
{{Wikivoyage}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20200203133605/http://laoistourism.ie/ Laois Tourism Website]
*[http://www.laois.ie Official website of Laois County Council]
*[http://beautifulstay.holiday/things-to-do-in-Laois Things to do in Laois – Tourist guide]
*[http://beautifulstay.holiday/Castles-in-Laois Map of castles, fortified houses and ruins in Laois]

{{Geographic Location
|North = [[County Offaly]] [[File:Offaly crest.svg|30px]]
|South = [[County Kilkenny]] [[File:County Kilkenny arms.svg|26px]]
|East = [[County Kildare]] <!-- Commented out: [[File:KildareCrest.png|30px]] -->
|West = [[County Tipperary]] [[File:IRL county Tipperary COA.png|24px]]
|Southeast = [[County Carlow]] [[File:Carlow County Crest.svg|26px]]
|Centre = County Laois
}}

{{Ireland counties}}
{{County Laois}}{{Authority control}}
{{coord|53|00|N|7|24|W|region:IE_type:adm1st_source:GNS-enwiki|display=title}}
<!-- see [[WP:SUBCAT#Topic_article_rule]] -->

{{DEFAULTSORT:Laois, County}}
[[Category:County Laois| ]]
[[Category:Leinster]]
[[Category:Counties of the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1556]]
[[Category:Local government areas of the Republic of Ireland]]
[[Category:1556 establishments in Ireland]]