- Portlaoise: The county town and main centre near the ancient ruins at the Rock of Dunamase with valley views, a famine workhouse museum, gardens such as Emo Court with parkland, canal boat trips on the Grand Canal, and local parks or trails for walks.
- Portarlington: A town with French Huguenot history and a neo-classical house at Emo Court with formal gardens open to the public, an eco garden centre with displays, a golf club, and quiet residential streets with access to countryside paths.
- Mountmellick: A town once linked to industry and Quaker heritage with nearby gardens or estate grounds, and local shops or cafes in a market-town setting.
- Mountrath: A town at the edge of the Slieve Bloom Mountains with access to mountain trails, woodland paths, a waterfall at Glenbarrow, looped walks in forest areas, and rural surroundings suited to outdoor activity.
- Abbeyleix: A planned town with heritage features and a famous pub, Morrissey’s, a church and fountain in the town centre, and nearby formal gardens or countryside lanes.
- Stradbally: A village known for events such as Electric Picnic with a craft brewery with tastings, gardens at Ballintubbert house open on certain days, a hall for community events, and proximity to steam rally gatherings or rural paths.
- Rathdowney: A small town in south-west Laois with quiet traditional streets, local amenities, nearby famine workhouse sites, and access to open countryside or border-area roads.
- Ballylinan: A village in the south of the county with a population around one thousand. Visitors can expect agricultural surroundings, local facilities, and peaceful lanes connecting to nearby towns or rural trails.
- Durrow: A village with monastic history, church ruins or high cross sites, quiet countryside, and access to local paths or farmland views.
- Killenard: A small village near the canal with golf courses, nearby estate grounds, canal scenery, and a calm setting close to larger attractions.
Population of towns in Laois
Towns
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
Villages
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
Largest town in the county: a walking tour
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 –
