- Ellen Taylor, notable for being the only known example of a rural labouring-class Irish poet writing in English in this period her only work was published, 1772, born near the setting of her poem “Written by the Barrow side, where she was sent to wash Linen.”
- Aoife Reilly: A poet who grew up in Laois, known for Revolutions of Humming Things.
- Arthur Broomfield: Born in Ballyfin, County Laois; lived in Mountmellick, County Laois . (1942-): A poet and Samuel Beckett scholar, Broomfield was named Mountmellick’s inaugural Poet Laureate in 2021 as part of the Poetry Town initiative by Poetry Ireland. His collections, such as Ireland Calling (Revival Press), explore local history, culture, and personal experience. His poems have appeared in journals like Poetry Ireland Review and Cyphers. Based in Mountmellick, he conducts poetry workshops and mentors poets, contributing significantly to Laois’s contemporary literary scene.
- Cecil Day-Lewis: An Anglo-Irish poet who served as Poet Laureate of the United Kingdom, born in Ballintubbert, Co. Laois.
- Declan Furlong: A Mountmellick native known for his collection The Exquisiteness of Ladders.
- Pat Boran: Poet and author from Portlaoise, Co. Laois.
- Patrick Ryan: Lived in Camross, County Laois . (c.1750-1825): Patrick Ryan was a local poet whose work celebrated the natural beauty and community life of Camross. The Poet’s Cottage, a replica thatched cottage in Camross maintained by Laois County Council, is named in his honor, reflecting his significance to the area. His poetry, though not widely published, captured rural Irish life in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, focusing on the people and landscapes of Laois.
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
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 –
