County Laois Contae Laoise
Location
Statistics
Province:	Leinster
County Town:	Portlaoise
Code:	LS
Area:	1,719 km²
Population (2006)	69,012
Website: www.laois.ie

County Laois (IPA: /liːʃ/), also spelt Laoighis or Leix (Irish: Contae Laoise), is a county in the midlands of Ireland. It is situated in the province of Leinster.

History

Created in 1556 by Mary I of England as Queen's County, Laois received its present Irish language name following the Irish War of Independence. Portlaoise (previously Maryborough) is the county town. Laois was the subject of two Plantations or colonisations by English settlers. The first occurred in 1556, when the Earl of Sussex dispossessed the O'More clan from the area and attempted to replace them with English settlers. However, this only led to a long drawn out guerilla war in the county and left a small English community clustered around garrisons. There was a more successful plantation in the county in 17th century, which expanded the existing English settlement with more landowners and tenants from England. Neither plantation was fully successful due to a lack of tenants and because of continuous raids and attacks by the O' Mores.

Finally, the county became home to a community of French Huguenots in the 1690s, who were settled in Ireland after their service to William of Orange in the Williamite war in Ireland. In addition to this, large numbers of Quakers settled in Mountmellick and developed the area.

The county was renamed in the early 1920s, following a competition.

Geography

The county is landlocked and, uniquely amongst Irish counties it does not border any other counties with a sea coast. It is therefore considered to be "the most landlocked county in Ireland^[1]"

Economy

Agriculture is the largest sector of the economy, with 70 % of the area (1,200 km²), farmed every year. The county is home to over 230,000 cattle, four cows for every person. The remaining area includes considerable stretches of raised bog, and the Sleive Bloom mountains, which are partially covered by coniferous forest.

The county has a small industrial base, with industrial parks at Portlaoise and Mountmellick. Over 1500 people work in the industrial sector in County Laois.

However, unemployment is higher than other Irish counties and annual income is lower than the national average, at about 88% of the average. Average incomes in Laois are also well below the national average, mainly due to the high incidence of agriculture as the basis of income. The county makes up part of the Border Midlands and West region for the purposes of EU funding.

Many people in Laois commute to nearby County Kildare, and further afield to County Dublin, where wages are much higher, due to an increased level of direct private sector investment.

Politics

Laois tends to strongly support the Fianna Fáil party in Irish elections. In the last local elections, however, there was a sharp swing to the opposition Fine Gael party. Historically important Irish figures, such as Kevin O'Higgins and Oliver Flanagan were born in County Laois. Laois is in the Laois-Offaly constituency for elections to Dáil Éireann.

Population

The population of County Laois is expanding rapidly, given its easy commute to the employment centres of Kildare and Dublin, and affordable housing in pleasant surroundings. In the 2006 census the population had increased by 14% to 67,000 people.

Towns and villages

• Abbeyleix, Aghaboe, Arles
• Ballacolla, Ballaghmore, Ballickmoyler, Ballinakill, Ballybrittas, Ballybrophy, Ballyfin, Ballylinan, Ballyroan, Barrowhouse, Borris-in-Ossory
• Castletown, Clonaslee, Clonenagh, Cullohill
• Donaghmore, Durrow
• Emo, Errill
• Graiguecullen
• Jamestown
• Killeshin, Killeen, Killenard
• Mountmellick, Mountrath
• Newtown
• Portarlington, Portlaoise
• Raheen, Rathdowney, Rosenallis
• Sletty
• Stradbally, The Swan
• Timahoe
• Vicarstown

Places of interest

• Slieve Bloom Mountains
• Rock of Dunamase
• Emo Court
• Castle Durrow
• Stradbally House
• Mountmellick Quaker Museum
• Ballyfin House
• Dunamase Arts Centre, Portlaoise

List of notable Laois people

• The rock group 79Cortinaz hail from both Laois, and Carlow Ireland.
• John Harrison (1979- ), Professional gambler
• Darina Allen (1953- ), TV chef
• John Barrett (1753-1821), Vice Provost, Trinity College, 1807-1821
• Charles Beale (1850-1930), founding president of the Federated Chambers of Manufactures of Australia
• Joseph Beale (1770-1815), Quaker industrialist
• Joshua Bewley, tea merchant founder of Bewleys Oriental Cafés in 1840.
• Lisa Burke, Sky News weathercaster
• Claire Byrne, TV3 News Anchor
• Rev. Dr. Patrick Collier (1882-1964), Bishop of Ossory, 1928-1964
• Evelyn Cusack, meteorologist
• William Dargan (1799-1867), responsible for the Industrial Exhibition, 1853
• Cecil Day-Lewis (1904-1972), British Poet-Laureate, 1967-1972
• Dr. Daniel Delaney (1747-1814), Bishop of Kildare and Leighlin
• Eileen Dunne (1958- ), TV newscaster
• Oliver J. Flanagan (1920-1987), Minister for Defence, 1976-1977
• Hon. William Russell Grace (1832-1904), mayor of New York 1880-1885
• James A. Graves (1827-1910), Australian commissioner of trade and customs, 1881-1883
• Stephen Hunt (1981-), professional footballer playing for Reading and Ireland
• Rt. Hon. Joseph Hutchinson (1852-1928), Lord Mayor of Dublin 1904-1906
• Peter Burrowes Kelly, (1811-1883), author "The Manor of Glenmore"
• James Fintan Lalor (1807-1849), Young Irelander
• Peter Lalor (1827-1889), leader of the Eureka Stockade miners revolt, Melbourne
• John Lalor-Fitzpatrick (1875-1949), Nationalist MP for Ossory, 1916-1818
• Dr.Bartholomew Mosse (1712-1759), founder, Rotunda Maternity Hospital, Dublin
• Kevin O'Higgins (1892-1927), former Irish Free State Minister for Justice
• James Pim, railway engineer, "Quaker father of Irish railways"
• John Shaw (1773-1823), U.S. Naval Officer
• Kivas Tully (1820-1905), architect, Trinity College, Toronto, the Custom House and the Bank of Montreal

References

1. ^ http://www.laoissurfclub.com

Liam Hyland, Minister, MEP, TD & Senator

External links

• Official website of Laois County Council

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