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County Laois
Contae Laoise
Coat of arms of County Laois
Location
centerMap highlighting County Laois
Statistics
Province: Leinster
County seat: Portlaoise
Code: LS
Area: 1,719 km² (664 sq mi)
Population (2006) 69,012
Website: www.laois.ie

County Laois (IPA: /liːʃ/; Contae Laoise in Irish), formerly also Laoighis or Leix, is a county in the midlands of Ireland, forming part of the province of Leinster. Poetic description This dinnseanchas poem named Ard Ruide (Ruide Headland poetically describes the kingdoms of Ireland Leinster (ˈlɛnstər Irish: Laighin, lainʲ one of the Provinces of Ireland, lies in the east of Ireland and comprises the counties of A county town is the 'capital' of a County in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland. Portlaoise (older spelling Portlaoighise; former name Maryborough in Irish Port Laoise a shortening of Port Laoighse) is the County Registration marks on Number plates in Ireland issued since 1987 have the format YY-CC-SSSSSS where the components are YY &mdash a 2-digit Area is a Quantity expressing the two- Dimensional size of a defined part of a Surface, typically a region bounded by a closed Curve. In Biology a population is the collection of inter-breeding organisms of a particular Species; in Sociology Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. A county is a Land area of Regional Government within a larger State. Ireland (pronounced /ˈaɾlənd/ Éire) is the third largest island in Europe, and the twentieth-largest island in the world Poetic description This dinnseanchas poem named Ard Ruide (Ruide Headland poetically describes the kingdoms of Ireland Leinster (ˈlɛnstər Irish: Laighin, lainʲ one of the Provinces of Ireland, lies in the east of Ireland and comprises the counties of

Contents

History

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. Mary I (18 February 1516 &ndash 17 November 1558 was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from 19 July 1553 until her death Irish (ga ''Gaeilge'' is a Goidelic language of the Indo-European language family originating in Ireland and historically spoken by the Irish. The Irish War of Independence (or Tan War, or Anglo-Irish War, Irish: Cogadh na Saoirse) from January 1919 to July 1921 was a guerrilla Portlaoise (previously Maryborough) is the county town. Portlaoise (older spelling Portlaoighise; former name Maryborough in Irish Port Laoise a shortening of Port Laoighse) is the County Laois was the subject of two Plantations or colonisations by English settlers. Plantations in 16th and 17th century Ireland were established throughout the country by the confiscation of lands occupied by Gaelic clans and Hiberno-Norman dynasties The first occurred in 1556, when the Earl of Sussex dispossessed the O'Moore clan from the area and attempted to replace them with English settlers. The title of Earl of Sussex has been created several times in the Peerages of England, Great Britain, and the United Kingdom. However, this only led to a long drawn out guerilla war in the county and left a small English community clustered around garrisons. There was a more successful plantation in the county in 17th century, which expanded the existing English settlement with more landowners and tenants from England. Neither plantation was fully successful due to a lack of tenants and because of continuous raids and attacks by the O' Moores.

Finally, the county became home to a community of French Huguenots in the 1690s, who were settled in Ireland after their service to William of Orange in the Williamite war in Ireland. The Huguenots were members of the Protestant Reformed Church of France (or French Calvinists) from the sixteenth to the eighteenth William III or William of Orange (14 November 1650 &ndash 8 March 1702 He is informally known in Northern Ireland and Scotland as "King Billy" The Williamite War in Ireland, also known as the Jacobite War in Ireland and in Ireland as Cogadh an Dá Rí or The War of the Two Kings In addition to this, large numbers of Quakers settled in Mountmellick and developed the area. Mountmellick ( Móinteach Mílic in Irish) is a Town in the north of County Laois in Ireland.

Geography

The county is landlocked and, uniquely amongst Irish counties it does not border any other counties with a sea coast. It is therefore considered to be "the most landlocked county in Ireland[1]"

Towns and villages

Climate

A new weather station broadcasts from Durrow providing real time data. Abbeyleix or Abbeylaois ( is a town in County Laois, Ireland about 14 km from Portlaoise. Aghaboe is a village and parish in County Laois, Ireland. It is located on the R434 Regional road in the rural hinterland west of the town of Ballaghmore (An Bealach Mór is a small village situated on the western side of County Laois, Ireland, southwest of Portlaoise. Ballickmoyler ( Baile Mhic Mhaoilir in Irish) is a small town in County Laois, Ireland. Ballinakill ( Baile na Coille in Irish, meaning "the town of the woods" is a small Village in County Laois, Ireland on the Ballybrittas (Baile Briotáis is a small Village in the northeast of County Laois, Ireland situated on the R445 about 5 km SE of Monasterevin Ballybrophy ( is a village in Laois, Ireland, with a population recorded in the 2002 census of 145 Ballyfin ( Baile Fionn in Irish, meaning "Town of Fionn" is a small village and parish in County Laois, Ireland. Ballylinan or Ballylynan ( Baile Uí Laigheanáin in Irish) is a Village on the County Laois / County Kildare border in the Ballyroan (Baile Átha an Róine is a small Village in County Laois, Ireland, on the R425 Regional road. Borris-in-Ossory ( Buiríos Mór Osraí in Irish) is a village in west County Laois, Ireland, on the N7 National Primary Dublin Castletown is a small village and also a parish in the southern half of County Laois in Ireland near the town of Mountrath. Clonaslee ( Cluain na Slí in Irish) is a village in north County Laois, Ireland, situated in the foothills of the Slieve Bloom Mountains Cullohill or Cullahill ( An Chúlchoill, 'wood back' in Irish) is a small village in County Laois in Ireland. Donaghmore ( An Domhnach Mór in Irish) is a small village in County Laois in Ireland. Durrow is a small town located in south County Laois, Ireland. See also Emo (disambiguation Emo ( is a Village in County Laois, Ireland. Errill ( Eiréil in Irish) is a Village in southwest County Laois, Ireland, near to the County Tipperary and County Graiguecullen is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in County Laois, Ireland. Killeshin is a Village in County Laois, Ireland on the R430 Regional road. Mountmellick ( Móinteach Mílic in Irish) is a Town in the north of County Laois in Ireland. Mountrath ( Maighean Ratha - 'the fort in the bog' is a small Town in County Laois, Ireland, on the N7 midway between Dublin Newtown or Newtown Cross ( An Baile Nua in Irish) is a village in County Laois, Ireland. For the Australian town see Portarlington Victoria Portarlington ( Cúil an tSúdaire in Irish, meaning "Tanner's Corner" Portlaoise (older spelling Portlaoighise; former name Maryborough in Irish Port Laoise a shortening of Port Laoighse) is the County There is another Rathdowney in Queensland, Australia, named after the Irish town Rosenallis ( Ros Fhionnghlaise in Irish) population 420 ( 2006 Census is a village in north County Laois, Ireland, situated in the Stradbally ( An Sráidbhaile in Irish, village or "town of (one street" is a small town in County Laois, Ireland, located in the The Swan (An Eala is a small village in County Laois, Ireland. Timahoe ( Tigh Mochua in Irish: 'House of Mochua' is a village in County Laois, Ireland, 12 km south of Portlaoise on the R426 This article is about the real Irish village of Vicarstown For the fictional town of the same name featured in the Rev Click Here for Current Data The station was set up in May 2008. It is a Davis ProVantage 2 station and monitors temperature, rain, wind, wind direction, humidity and atmospheric pressure.

Demographics

The population of County Laois is expanding rapidly, given its easy commute to the employment centres of Kildare and Dublin, and affordable housing in pleasant surroundings. In the 2006 census the population had increased by 14% to 67,000 people.

Economy

Agriculture is the largest sector of the economy, with 70 % of the area (1,200 km²/460 sq mi), farmed every year. The county is home to over 230,000 cattle, four cows for every person. The remaining area includes considerable stretches of raised bog, and the Sleive Bloom mountains, which are partially covered by coniferous forest.

The county has a small industrial base, with industrial parks at Portlaoise and Mountmellick. Over 1500 people work in the industrial sector in County Laois.

However, unemployment is higher than other Irish counties, and annual income is lower at about 88% of the average. Average incomes in Laois are also well below the national average, mainly due to the high incidence of agriculture as the basis of income. The county makes up part of the Border Midlands and West region for the purposes of EU funding.

Many people in Laois commute to nearby County Kildare, and further afield to County Dublin, where wages are much higher, due to an increased level of direct private sector investment.

Politics

Laois tends to strongly support the Fianna Fáil party in Irish elections. Fianna Fáil – The Republican Party (Fianna Fáil – An Páirtí Poblachtánach shortened to Fianna Fáil ( is currently the largest Political party in the In the last local elections, however, there was a sharp swing to the opposition Fine Gael party. Fine Gael – The United Ireland Party, shortened to Fine Gael (ˌfina gail meaning Family of the Irish or Tribe of the Irish, is the second largest Historically important Irish figures, such as Kevin O'Higgins and Oliver Flanagan were born in County Laois. Kevin Christopher O'Higgins (Caoimhín Críostóir Ó hUigín 7 June 1892 &ndash 10 July 1927 was an Irish politician who served as Vice-President of the Executive Council Oliver J Flanagan (22 May 1920 &ndash 26 April 1987 was an Irish Fine Gael politician who served in Dáil Éireann for 43 years and was Minister Laois is in the Laois-Offaly constituency for elections to Dáil Éireann. Laois-Offaly (formerly Leix-Offaly and Laoighis-Offaly) is a Constituency represented in Dáil Éireann, the lower house of the Irish parliament ga '''Dáil Éireann''' ( English House of Representatives of Ireland) is the principal chamber of the Oireachtas (Irish parliament

Places of interest

List of notable Laois people

John Harrison (1979- ), Professional gambler

References

  1. ^ About : Laois Surf Club

Liam Hyland, Minister, MEP, TD & Senator

See also

External links

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