These are the top three places in the annual tidy towns competition in Ireland’s county Laois
- 1st Place: Abbeyleix – A heritage town of exceptional charm, famous for its magnificent oak trees, beautifully restored Georgian streetscape, and the fascinating Abbeyleix Bog Project boardwalk. Visitors enjoy browsing in Ireland’s oldest working library, the antique shops, and using it as a base to explore the nearby Slieve Bloom Mountains.
- 2nd Place: Durrow – A village steeped in early Christian history, centred around the historic Durrow Abbey and the reputed site of the Book of Durrow. Its attraction lies in its serene atmosphere, the beautiful Durrow Castle gardens (open occasionally), and the scenic Durrow River Walk, offering a peaceful, historical retreat.
- 3rd Place: Portlaoise – The dynamic and multicultural county town has transformed its public spaces with impressive landscaping and art installations. Key visitor points include the heritage trail exploring its historic jail, the beautifully restored People’s Park, and its role as a hub for accessing the Rock of Dunamase and the Slieve Blooms.
The 2025 Irish Restaurant Award winners for county Laois
- Overall: Bowe’s Foodhall & Café
- Café: The Wandering Elk
- Casual Dining: Bowe’s Foodhall & Cafe
- Chef: Richard Piccard Edwards, Ballyfin Demesne
- Contemporary Irish Cuisine: The Hare’s Corner
- Customer Service: Batonis
- Employee Excellence Award: Colm Dunne, Treacy’s Bar and Restaurant
- Gastro Pub: Treacy’s Bar and Restaurant
- Hotel and Guesthouse Restaurant: Ballyfin Demesne
- Innovator: The Hare’s Corner
- Local Food Hero: Aymar Gourdet of Le Skinny Chef
- Newcomer: La Vie en Rose
- Pub: Morrissey’s
- Restaurant Manager: Kasia Urban, Bramley Abbeyleix
- Sustainable Practices: Ballykilcavan Farm and Brewery
- Use of Social Media: The Make & Mark
- Wine Experience: Ballyfin Demesne
- World Cuisine: Mayur Restaurant
Awards
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
Restaurant awards
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
Laois:
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 – Hotels8 – Instagrammable – Itineraries – Largest town – Luxury – MICE – Movies – Musicians – Name – New – Novelists – Off the beaten track – Poets – Pubs – Quotes – Random Facts – Restaurant Awards – Sacred Places – Saints – Spas – Sports – Sunsets– Sustainable – Things to do – Towns – Video – Villages – Walking – Wanderlist – Weddings – Wild swimming – Writers – 1837 – 1846 – 1852 – 1909 – 1955 – 1980 –
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.
2025 Irish Restaurant awards by 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
