- William Bulfin: Born in Derrinlough, near Birr, County Offaly; lived in Rathdowney, County Laois 1864–1910) Bulfin is best known for his semi-autobiographical novel Rambles in Éirinn (1907), a travelogue with novelistic elements that vividly describes Irish rural life, including Laois. After moving to Rathdowney as a child, he was educated locally and later emigrated to Argentina, where he wrote for Irish expatriate newspapers. His work, blending nationalism and folklore, reflects his Laois experiences and contributed to the Gaelic Revival.
- Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett (Lord Dunsany): Lived in Dunstall Priory, near Shoreham, Kent, England, and Dunsany Castle, County Meath; associated with Portarlington, County Laois through family estates 1878–1957) A fantasy novelist and playwright, Lord Dunsany wrote The King of Elfland’s Daughter (1924) and The Gods of Pegāna (1905), pioneering the modern fantasy genre. His family’s estates included significant landholdings in Laois (5,463 acres, per estate records), and he spent time in Portarlington, influencing his romanticised depictions of rural Ireland. His imaginative prose earned him international acclaim, influencing writers like J.R.R. Tolkien.
- Tom Phelan: Born and raised in Mountmellick, author of In the Season of the Daisies, Iscariot, Derrycloney, The Canal Bridge, Nailer, and Lies the Mushroom Pickers Told.
- Helen Cullen: Portlaoise native and author of The Lost Letters of William Woolf and The Truth Must Dazzle Gradually.
- Niamh Boyce: Author of The Herbalist (set in nearby Athy) and Her Kind.
- Andrea Carter: Crime novelist who has roots in Ballyfin and sets her works in the area.
- Roisín O’Donnell: Author of Nesting, featured in the Laois One County One Book initiative.
- Mary Mulholland (1863-1927): Novelist and children’s writer born in Mountmellick, author of The Wild Irish Girl.
Novelists
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
Poets
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
Writers
Antrim – Armagh – Carlow – Cavan – Clare – Cork – Derry – Donegal – Down – Dublin – Fermanagh – Galway – Kerry – Kildare – Kilkenny – Laois – Leitrim – Limerick – Longford – Louth – Mayo – Meath – Monaghan – Offaly – Roscommon – Sligo – Tipperary – Tyrone – Waterford – Westmeath – Wexford – Wicklow
County Laois:
Ireland’s county Laois offers a serene blend of historic sites and natural landscapes, with the Rock of Dunamase providing panoramic views from its ancient castle ruins. Emo Court’s elegant Georgian mansion and gardens offer a peaceful retreat, while the Slieve Bloom Mountains provide hiking trails through rolling hills. Laois is Ireland’s ninth smallest county by size (1,719 square km) and tenth smallest by population (91,877). Population peaked at 153,930 in 1841 and reached its lowest point, 44,595 in 1966. In terms of hospitality, Laois is Ireland’s 27th most visited tourist county with around 52,000 international visitors per year.
Introduction – Adventure – Anthem – Archaeology – Attractions – Awards – Birdwatching – Camping – Castles – Churches – Contact list – Cycling – Dining – Equestrian – Festivals – Fishing – Folklore – Gardens – Golf – Graveyards – Happening – Haunted – Highest – Hiking – History – Holy Wells – Hotels – Hotels top 8 – Hunting & shooting – Instagrammable – Itineraries – Largest town – Luxury – MICE – Movies – Music – Name – New – Novelists – Off the beaten track – Poets – Pubs – Quotes – Random Facts – Restaurant Awards – Sacred Places – Saints – Songs – Spas – Sports – Sunsets – Sustainable – Things to do – Towns – Video – Villages – Walking – Wanderlist – Weddings – Wild swimming – Writers – 1837 – 1846 – 1852 – 1909 – 1955 – 1980 –
