County Laois in Ireland, situated in the Midlands with its rolling countryside, historic ruins, and estates, has been used sparingly for filming compared to more dramatic coastal or western counties. It lacks a single blockbuster landmark but has appeared in family adventures, romantic comedies, and smaller productions, often for rural or period backdrops
- Rock of Dunamase (near Portlaoise, on a rocky outcrop overlooking the plain): This striking ruined Norman castle and earlier ringfort, perched 46 metres above the surrounding landscape with crumbling stone walls and panoramic views toward the Slieve Bloom Mountains, featured in Leap Year (2010), the romantic comedy starring Amy Adams and Matthew Goode. It stood in for the fictional Ballycarbery Castle, where the leads explore the ruins during a delay at a nearby train station, providing a dramatic, windswept hilltop setting for their banter and scenic moments.
- Various rural locations across County Laois (including countryside roads, fields, and towns): These contributed to the nomadic Traveller family journey in Into the West (1992), Mike Newell’s family adventure about two boys and their magical white horse. While the film spanned multiple counties, Laois provided authentic Midlands rural Irish scenery for transitional travel scenes depicting hardship and wonder on the road.
Other titles with documented Laois filming include Lassie (2005 remake) for some countryside sequences, My Boy Jack (2007 TV film about Rudyard Kipling’s son) using locations in the county for period exteriors, and lesser-known or recent shorts like Lost & Found (2017) or independent productions shot around estates such as Stradbally Hall or Ballyfin. Recent short films have also utilised the Rock of Dunamase for thrillers. County Laois’s film heritage is modest and understated, focusing on practical rural settings rather than iconic spectacles, with the Rock of Dunamase as the standout and most visitable cinematic site due to its Leap Year connection and striking historical ruins. Unlike counties with clustered Star Wars or Game of Thrones fame, Laois appeals more to fans of gentle romantic or family Irish stories.
Movie locations in the county
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.
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