- Lovely Laois: A simple, affectionate ode to County Laois, celebrating its rural beauty, rolling fields, and community pride. Often cited as a local anthem, it captures the county’s charm and quiet landscapes. Traditional; noted as a prominent Laois song.
- The Old Slieve Bloom Mountains: A traditional ballad praising the Slieve Bloom Mountains, a defining feature of Laois shared with Offaly. The song evokes the county’s natural beauty and rural tranquility, often sung in local sessions. Traditional.; part of Laois’s folk repertoire.
- Portlaoise Town: A folk song celebrating Portlaoise, Laois’s county town, highlighting its history as a market town and its community spirit. It reflects local pride and the town’s central role in Laois. Traditional; performed at local gatherings.
- The Banks of the Barrow: A traditional song about the River Barrow, which flows through Laois and forms part of its border. It captures the county’s connection to its waterways and rural life, often with romantic or nostalgic themes. Traditional.; popular in Laois and Carlow.
- Mountmellick’s Pride: A song celebrating Mountmellick, a historic textile town in Laois, focusing on its community spirit and industrial heritage. It evokes nostalgia for the town’s past prosperity. Traditional; part of Laois’s oral tradition.
- The Stradbally Fair: A lively folk song about the annual fair in Stradbally, home to the Electric Picnic festival. It highlights local traditions, market days, and the vibrancy of Laois’s rural communities. Traditional.; sung locally.
- The Heath of Maryborough: A traditional song referencing the Heath, an area near Portlaoise (formerly Maryborough), celebrating Laois’s open landscapes and rural life. It reflects the county’s agricultural heritage. Traditional.
- Song for Laois (Children’s Song Project): An original song created by primary school children in Cloneyhurke, Rath, and Paddock National Schools as part of Music Generation Laois’s 2022 project. It celebrates Laois’s communities and creativity, focusing on local pride and youth expression. Written by Composed by Sarah Murphy and Lorna McLaughlin with students; supported by Music Generation Laois.
- The Rock of Dunamase: A folk song inspired by the Rock of Dunamase, a historic hill fort near Portlaoise. It reflects Laois’s medieval heritage and the pride in its ancient landmarks. Traditional.; part of Laois’s folk tradition.
- Abbeyleix Lads: A traditional song celebrating the men of Abbeyleix, a market town in Laois, focusing on their camaraderie and local pride. It captures the county’s small-town community spirit. Traditional; performed in Laois pubs and sessions.
Songs
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 Anthem
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 –
