Free County Laois Travel Guide & Mobile App

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County Laois
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County Laois combines medieval ruins, country-house gardens, Slieve Bloom walks and historic market towns in the heart of Ireland.

County Laois lies in the centre of Ireland, within easy reach of Dublin yet shaped by a quieter inland geography of fertile farmland, wooded demesnes, river valleys and the rising Slieve Bloom Mountains. Its principal town, Portlaoise, is an important transport junction, while smaller centres such as Abbeyleix, Mountmellick, Mountrath, Stradbally and Durrow offer distinct glimpses of the county’s architectural and social history. Laois has no coastline, but its landscapes provide a strong sense of place through forests, parklands, upland roads and broad agricultural country.
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The county’s most recognisable historic site is the Rock of Dunamase, a dramatic limestone outcrop crowned by the ruins of a medieval castle. From its elevated position, the remains command extensive views across the central plain and illustrate Laois’s strategic significance during the Norman period and the medieval lordship of Leinster. Other historic properties present a more cultivated landscape: Emo Court is an important neoclassical country house set within celebrated gardens, while Heywood Gardens near Ballinakill combines formal design, woodland walks and architectural features associated with the early twentieth-century estate landscape.
Laois’s towns reflect several phases of settlement. Abbeyleix developed as an estate town with a carefully planned centre and attractive nineteenth-century streetscape. Mountmellick preserves associations with Quaker settlement and textile manufacturing, while Portlaoise grew around its former gaol, railway connections and expanding administrative role. Stradbally is known for its demesne and railway heritage, and Durrow retains the character of a small historic village near the county’s southern edge. The county’s built environment is therefore varied rather than dominated by one urban centre.
Outdoor experiences are central to a visit. The Slieve Bloom Mountains offer forest roads, hill walks and viewpoints, with trails ranging from accessible woodland outings to more demanding upland routes. The Barrow and Nore river systems, Grand Canal landscapes near the county’s edges and extensive forests add opportunities for walking, cycling, angling and quiet touring. Local museums and heritage centres provide context for rural life, religious foundations, famine history, industry and transport, while markets, cafés, pubs and restaurants give the county’s towns their contemporary rhythm. Laois is best approached as a series of connected landscapes, allowing time for both its major heritage sites and its less monumental country roads.

When is the best time to visit County Laois?

Best: June–August · 19–21°C
Average daytime high and rainfall by month
MonthHigh (°C)Rainfall (mm)
January870
February860
March1160
April1350
May1660
June (best)1970
July (best)2170
August (best)2180
September1870
October1580
November1080
December980

Getting to and around County Laois

How to get there

Portlaoise is the county’s main rail gateway, with regular intercity connections linking it with Dublin and the south and west of Ireland; journey patterns and stopping arrangements should be checked before travel. By road, Laois is served by the M7 and M8 motorway corridors, making Portlaoise and nearby towns accessible from Dublin, Cork and Limerick. Dublin Airport is the principal international gateway and lies outside the county; Shannon Airport is another possible, more distant option for some itineraries. There is no airport within County Laois.

Transportation

A car is useful for reaching dispersed sites such as the Rock of Dunamase, Emo Court, Heywood Gardens and the Slieve Bloom walking areas, particularly when combining several parts of the county. Portlaoise and other larger towns have bus links, while local public transport is more limited in rural districts and may not align conveniently with attraction opening times. Walking and cycling work well in individual towns, on selected greenways or trails and around estate landscapes, but mountain and country-road routes require preparation. Taxis can be useful for short transfers but should not be assumed to be readily available in remote areas.

Top city travel guides in County Laois

The cities of County Laois, and the easiest places to base yourself.

Best attractions in County Laois

County Laois offers a varied collection of heritage, landscape and outdoor attractions rather than one concentrated visitor district. The Rock of Dunamase is the county’s defining medieval site, with castle ruins on a high limestone outcrop and wide views over the central plain. Country-house landscapes provide a different experience: Emo Court combines a neoclassical mansion with formal gardens and woodland, while Heywood Gardens near Ballinakill is known for its designed landscape, walks and ornamental features. In Abbeyleix, heritage displays and the town’s planned streets introduce local history, while Mountmellick offers insight into Quaker life and manufacturing. Donaghmore Famine Workhouse Museum presents the social history of the nineteenth-century workhouse system. The Slieve Bloom Mountains bring walking, cycling, forests and upland viewpoints, with routes suited to different levels of ability. Stradbally’s railway heritage and demesne landscape add transport and estate history, while rivers, canals, farmland and wooded roads create opportunities for quieter exploration between the principal sites.

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Best landmarks in County Laois

The Rock of Dunamase is County Laois’s most recognisable landmark: its broken medieval fortification occupies a steep limestone outcrop above the surrounding farmland, making the site legible from a distance and historically significant as a stronghold controlling routes through Leinster. Emo Court is a landmark of a different kind, an imposing neoclassical country house whose formal composition is complemented by its landscaped demesne. Heywood Gardens near Ballinakill is notable for the way architecture, sculpture, terraces and woodland are arranged as a single designed landscape. Abbeyleix’s planned streets and estate-era buildings form one of the county’s most coherent historic townscapes, while Portlaoise’s surviving civic and institutional architecture reflects its development as a plantation town and railway centre. In the uplands, the Slieve Bloom Mountains provide a natural landmark whose rounded ridges, forested slopes and open viewpoints contrast with Laois’s broad agricultural plain.

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Explore County Laois on the map

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Best restaurants in County Laois

Dining in County Laois is centred on town cafés, bakeries, traditional pubs, rural inns and contemporary restaurants rather than a narrowly defined regional cuisine. Menus commonly draw on Irish produce, including beef, lamb, poultry, seasonal vegetables, breads and locally made cheeses, while hearty soups, stews and fish dishes remain familiar choices. Portlaoise provides the broadest range of everyday dining, from casual cafés to restaurants serving modern Irish and international food. Abbeyleix, Durrow and other smaller towns offer relaxed places to eat alongside independent shops and bakeries. Farmers’ markets and local food events, where operating, can be useful for finding bread, preserves, cakes and farm produce, but dates vary. Visitors exploring the Slieve Bloom area should plan meals around the limited distribution of rural establishments, particularly outside peak daytime and evening periods.

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Best bars in County Laois

County Laois has a predominantly town-and-country evening culture, with traditional pubs forming the mainstay of nightlife outside Portlaoise. In Portlaoise, visitors will find the widest choice of pubs, restaurants and occasional live-music venues, while Abbeyleix, Mountmellick, Stradbally, Mountrath and Durrow offer more intimate local scenes. Pubs may combine food, conversation, televised sport and music rather than operating solely as late-night venues. Some hotels and restaurants provide quieter evening drinks, and occasional cultural or music events add variety, particularly in larger towns. The county does not have a continuously active nightclub circuit comparable with Ireland’s largest cities, and rural venues may have limited or changing hours. Check arrangements locally, especially on weekdays and outside the summer season, and plan transport in advance when staying beyond the main towns.

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Best nightclubs in County Laois

County Laois has a predominantly town-and-country evening culture, with traditional pubs forming the mainstay of nightlife outside Portlaoise. In Portlaoise, visitors will find the widest choice of pubs, restaurants and occasional live-music venues, while Abbeyleix, Mountmellick, Stradbally, Mountrath and Durrow offer more intimate local scenes. Pubs may combine food, conversation, televised sport and music rather than operating solely as late-night venues. Some hotels and restaurants provide quieter evening drinks, and occasional cultural or music events add variety, particularly in larger towns. The county does not have a continuously active nightclub circuit comparable with Ireland’s largest cities, and rural venues may have limited or changing hours. Check arrangements locally, especially on weekdays and outside the summer season, and plan transport in advance when staying beyond the main towns.

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Best shops in County Laois

Shopping in County Laois is concentrated in the market towns, with Portlaoise offering the widest selection of supermarkets, national retailers, services and everyday high-street shopping. Abbeyleix, Mountmellick, Stradbally and Durrow are better suited to browsing independent shops, antiques, books, cafés and small galleries, with their scale allowing shopping to be combined easily with architectural and heritage walks. Local food is a practical souvenir: look for Irish cheeses, breads, preserves, confectionery and other products from county producers or regional markets, subject to availability. Craft and gift shops may carry ceramics, textiles, jewellery and locally made goods, while estate and heritage attractions sometimes have specialist books and design-led gifts. Rural shopping is limited and dispersed, so visitors staying in the Slieve Bloom area should stock up in a larger town and check market dates rather than relying on a permanent farmers’ market.

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County Laois essentials

Currency and Payment
County Laois uses the euro, with the currency code EUR, as part of the Republic of Ireland. Cards and contactless payments are widely accepted in hotels, restaurants, shops and established attractions, although smaller rural businesses, market stalls or occasional community events may prefer cash. Keep some euro notes and coins available for minor purchases, parking or places with limited connectivity. Exchange rates are set by your card provider or bank, and visitors should check foreign-transaction charges before travelling.
Safety
Laois is generally straightforward for visitors, but normal precautions remain appropriate in towns, car parks and accommodation areas. Rural roads can be narrow, winding and poorly lit, particularly after dark, and drivers should allow for cyclists, walkers, farm machinery and changing weather. On Slieve Bloom trails, carry water, wear suitable footwear and expect limited mobile coverage in some places. Follow marked paths and local advice around forests, rivers, quarries and estate grounds, and take care on uneven surfaces at historic ruins such as the Rock of Dunamase.
Emergency Situations
In the Republic of Ireland, call 112 or 999 for police, fire and ambulance emergencies. Give the exact location, especially when walking in the Slieve Bloom Mountains or travelling on rural roads, and keep your phone charged. Gardaí provide policing, while the emergency services coordinate medical, fire and rescue responses; mountain-rescue assistance may be mobilised where necessary. For non-urgent medical needs, ask accommodation staff or a local pharmacy about the appropriate service, and do not use emergency numbers for routine travel or medical enquiries.
Do's and Don'ts
Do drive on the left, observe Irish road signs and give walkers and cyclists room on narrow roads. Do close gates, keep dogs under control and follow the Countryside Code when using farmland, forests and estate trails. Ask before photographing people, private homes or local events, and respect barriers around fragile ruins. Tipping is not compulsory in Ireland, but a modest amount for particularly good restaurant or service is appreciated. Do not climb unstable masonry, remove stones or treat private estate land as freely accessible simply because it appears rural.
Local Tips
Portlaoise is convenient for transport and services, while Abbeyleix, Mountmellick, Stradbally, Mountrath and Durrow are better suited to slower heritage-focused exploration. Pair a mountain walk with a town visit rather than trying to drive across the whole county between activities. Estate gardens can be especially rewarding in spring and summer, whereas exposed upland routes may be wet or misty outside the warmer months. Rural pubs and cafés often provide useful informal sources of information, but opening patterns can be quieter outside peak periods and at the beginning of the week.
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From Eve

Local phrases worth knowing

You don't need to get them perfect. A few words go a long way, and locals appreciate the effort.

6 phrase groups · English, local and pronunciation

Basics
EnglishLocalSay it
HelloDia dhuit[Dee-ah gwitch]
GoodbyeSlán[Slawn]
YesTá[Taw]
NoNíl[Neel]
Please/You're welcomeLe do thoil[Leh duh hull]
Thank youGo raibh maith agat[Guh rev mah agat]
Excuse me/SorryGabh mo leithscéal[Gow mo lesh-kayl]
How are you?Conas atá tú?[Kown-us ah-taw too]
Fine. And you?Go maith. Agus tusa?[Guh mah. Agus toosa?]
Do you speak English?An labhraíonn tú Béarla?[An low-ree-awn too Bayr-la?]
I don't understandNí thuigim[Nee hig-im]
Eating & Drinking
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to see the menu, pleaseBa bhreá liom an miontas a fheiceáil, le do thoil[Bah vraw lum an min-tas a feh-kil, leh duh hull]
I don't eat meatNí ithim feoil[Nee ee-him fail]
Cheers!Sláinte![Slawn-ta]
I would like to pay, pleaseBa bhreá liom íoc, le do thoil[Bah vraw lum eek, leh duh hull]
Emergencies
EnglishLocalSay it
Help!Cabhair![Caw-hir]
Go away!Imigh uaim![Ih-meg oom]
Call the Police!Glaoigh ar na gardaí![Glee-ar na gar-dee]
Call a doctor!Glaoigh ar dochtúir![Glee-ar dok-tur]
I'm lostTáim caillte[Taw-im kye-lta]
I'm illTáim tinn[Taw-im tin]
Shopping
EnglishLocalSay it
I'd like to buy...Ba bhreá liom a cheannach...[Bah vraw lum a kyann-ukh...]
I'm just lookingTáim ag breathnú[Taw-im egg brat-noo]
How much is it?Conas atá an praghas?[Kown-us ah-taw an prah-has?]
That's too expensiveTá sé ró-chostasach[Taw shay roh-kos-tah-h]
Can you lower the price?An féidir leat an praghas a ísliú?[An fay-dur lat an prah-has a ee-shloo?]
Time & Numbers
EnglishLocalSay it
What time is it?Cén t-am é?[Kayn tam ay?]
It's one o'clockTá sé a haon a chlog[Taw shay a hain a khlog]
Half past (10)Leath uair tar éis (10)[Leh oor tar ay-sh (10)]
MorningMaidin[Maw-din]
AfternoonTráthnóna[Trah-no-na]
EveningTráthnóna[Trah-no-na]
YesterdayInné[In-yeh]
TodayInniu[In-nyoo]
TomorrowAmárach[Ah-mah-rah]
1A haon[A hain]
2A dó[A doe]
3A trí[A tree]
4A ceathair[A kyah-hir]
5A cúig[A coo-ig]
6A sé[A shay]
7A seacht[A shokht]
8A hocht[A hokht]
9A naoi[A nee]
10A deich[A deh]
Transport & Directions
EnglishLocalSay it
Where's a/the...?Cá bhfuil an...?[Caw will an...?]
What's the address?Cad é an seoladh?[Cad ay an shol-adh?]
Can you show me (on the map)?An féidir leat a thaispeáint dom (ar an mapa)?[An fay-dur lat a hash-paynt dum (ar an mah-pah)?]
When's the next (bus)?Cathain a bheidh an chéad (bus)?[Kah-hin a vay an chayd (bus)?]
A ticket (to ....)Ticéid (go ....)[Tick-aid (guh ....)]

History of County Laois

Early Settlement and the Rock of Dunamase

Laois has a long record of settlement, from prehistoric activity across the central plain to early medieval religious and secular communities. The Rock of Dunamase became the county’s most powerful historic symbol: a naturally defensible limestone outcrop overlooking routes through Leinster. Its importance increased during the medieval period, when a substantial castle occupied the summit. The surviving ruins show how geography shaped political and military control, while the surrounding landscape retains traces of older territorial divisions and settlement patterns. Dunamase is less a complete castle than a dramatic fragment of the changing power structures that governed the region.

Norman Expansion and Medieval Leinster

Following the Anglo-Norman intervention in Ireland during the late twelfth century, Laois became part of a contested frontier around the expanding lordship of Leinster. Castles, religious foundations and fortified settlements were developed or adapted as English influence grew. Laois was not an isolated medieval territory: it lay among important routes linking Dublin, the Midlands and the south-east. The remains at Dunamase, together with surviving church sites and town plans, reflect the interaction of Gaelic lordships, Norman landholding and ecclesiastical institutions. Medieval control remained uneven, however, and Gaelic power continued to shape the county’s political history.

The Plantations of Laois and Offaly

In the sixteenth century, the Tudor government attempted to bring Laois and neighbouring Offaly under tighter English control. The territory was renamed Queen’s County, and an organised plantation followed in the seventeenth century, with land allocated to English settlers and new administrative arrangements imposed. Portlaoise, originally Maryborough, was established as a plantation town beside the older political landscape. The settlement process displaced communities and created long-lasting changes in land ownership, place names and local society. The county’s estate villages, demesnes and planned streetscapes still reflect, in part, the consequences of this period.

Estate Towns and Country Houses

From the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries, large landed estates influenced Laois agriculture, architecture and town planning. Abbeyleix was developed as an estate town, with an ordered layout and buildings that remain visible around its centre. Emo Court represents the later architectural ambition of the landed class, while demesnes such as Heywood demonstrate how formal gardens, woodland and designed views transformed rural property. These estates employed local workers, shaped patterns of farming and frequently controlled housing and commerce. Their surviving houses, gates, gardens and planned villages provide some of the clearest visual evidence of nineteenth-century social hierarchy.

Quaker Industry and Rural Manufacture

Mountmellick became an important centre of Quaker settlement from the seventeenth century and later developed manufacturing enterprises that gave the town a distinctive industrial identity. Textile production, flour milling and other trades connected the community to wider Irish and British markets. Although much local industry declined during the twentieth century, Mountmellick’s heritage preserves evidence of nonconformist religious life, commercial enterprise and the importance of small inland towns. The town’s history complements Laois’s estate and agricultural narratives by showing how religious communities and local manufacturers contributed to economic development.

Coal Mining in the Castlecomer Plateau

Coal mining shaped parts of north-west Laois, particularly around the Castlecomer Plateau and the borderlands shared with County Kilkenny. From the eighteenth century onwards, mines supplied fuel to industry and households, although working conditions could be difficult and the industry fluctuated with changing energy demands. The mining story forms part of a wider industrial landscape that included railways, canals and local manufacturing. Mining is no longer the basis of the county economy, but the former coalfield remains important to the understanding of working communities, transport development and the environmental transformation of inland Ireland.

Railways and the Modern County

Railway construction in the nineteenth century altered Laois’s connections with Dublin, Cork, the south-east and the Midlands. Portlaoise grew in importance as a junction and remains the county’s principal rail gateway, while smaller towns benefited from links that moved agricultural produce, manufactured goods and passengers. Improved transport encouraged estate development, trade and commuting, but later closures reduced the reach of the local network. In the modern period, Laois changed from a predominantly agricultural county into a more connected residential and service region, while its central position continues to influence travel, business and settlement.

County Laois in Photos

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Neighbouring regions of County Laois

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Evendo: Your Ultimate Travel Guide to County Laois

Discover the best of County Laois with Evendo - 100% free app-based travel guide offering detailed insights on top attractions, landmarks, restaurants, and more.

  • Detailed information on attractions, landmarks, shops, bars, nightclubs, and restaurants
  • Rich set of information including images, descriptions, local tips, maps, and contact details
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Explore County Laois like never before with Evendo, your free, comprehensive travel guide app. Discover attractions, landmarks, restaurants, book tours, and much more with ease.

  • History of County Laois
  • Travel essentials for visiting County Laois
  • Curated local tips for an authentic experience
  • Easy navigation through the app and the destination
  • 'Near Me' feature to find nearby attractions and amenities
  • 100% free with no in-app purchases

Welcome to County Laois, a hidden gem in the heart of Ireland, and let Evendo be your ultimate travel companion. Whether you are a history buff eager to explore the ancient Rock of Dunamase, a nature enthusiast looking to hike the Slieve Bloom Mountains, or a foodie keen to sample local cuisine at top-rated restaurants like Treacy's Bar & Restaurant, Evendo has got you covered.

Our app offers detailed information on all the best attractions, landmarks, shops, bars, nightclubs, restaurants, hotels, tours, experiences, and activities. From the serene Emo Court and Gardens to the bustling Portlaoise town, every location comes with rich details including images, descriptions, local tips, maps, and contact information, making it easy for you to plan and organize your trip.

With Evendo, booking hotels, tours, tickets, and experiences has never been simpler. Forget the hassle of searching multiple platforms; our app consolidates everything you need in one place. Discover hidden gems with our curated local tips and use the 'Near Me' feature to see what's around you, no matter where you are.

Download Evendo now and start your adventure in County Laois. Experience the county like a local, and uncover the best-kept secrets with our easy-to-navigate, 100% free travel guide app.

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