County Laois

The Slieve Bloom Mountains are among Ireland's quietest walking hills, and the county below them keeps a slow midlands pace: Dunamase's rock, Emo Court and heritage towns.

County Laois facts

• Province: Leinster
• County town: Portlaoise
• Setting: Inland
• Touring region: Ireland's Ancient East
• Best for: hiking, history, castles, family, scenic drives
• Places in the planner: 4

Most people pass through on the way elsewhere. Stop, and the county rewards it. The Slieve Bloom Mountains, shared with Offaly, are among Ireland's oldest ranges and one of its quietest walking areas, with forest trails, waterfalls and views across half the country.

The county's heritage is strong for its size: the Rock of Dunamase, a hilltop fortress above the plain; Emo Court, a neoclassical mansion in landscaped parkland; and heritage towns like Abbeyleix and Durrow with their bog walks and gardens. Portlaoise, the county town, is a transport hub at the county's centre. Laois also makes a practical touring base: it sits where several of Ireland's main roads cross, so the Rock of Cashel, Kilkenny, the midlands lakes and even Dublin are all day trips, while your evenings stay in genuinely quiet, small-town Ireland.

Top sights in Laois

Slieve Bloom Mountains

An ancient, gentle mountain range with waymarked trails and forest roads.

Rock of Dunamase

A ruined hilltop stronghold with commanding views over the midlands plain.

Emo Court

A neoclassical mansion and gardens designed in the 18th century.

Abbeyleix Bog and Heritage Town

A heritage town with a restored bog boardwalk and historic streetscape.

Timahoe Round Tower

A well-preserved 12th-century round tower in a quiet village.

Towns & cities in Laois

Portlaoise

Most people pass through, but the Rock of Dunamase stands just east of town with the whole midlands laid out from its walls. Portlaoise is the county town of County Laois, begun as a fortified settlement in the 1550s.

Abbeyleix

Heritage town known for its bog walk and conservation work.

Durrow

Leafy village on the River Erkina with castle gardens nearby.

Mountmellick

Historic Quaker town known for its embroidery tradition.

Best time to visit

Spring to autumn is best for Slieve Bloom trails and garden visits. The mountains are quiet even in high summer, making Laois a calm alternative to busier walking areas.

Getting there

Portlaoise sits on the main Dublin–Cork motorway and rail line, about an hour from Dublin. That makes Laois one of the easiest midlands counties to reach.

Places for your trip

• Portlaoise: Most people pass through, but the Rock of Dunamase stands just east of town with the whole midlands laid out from its walls. Portlaoise is the county town of County Laois, begun as a fortified settlement in the 1550s.
• Rock of Dunamase: The Rock of Dunamase is a fortified rocky outcrop near Portlaoise with the ruins of a medieval castle.
• Emo Court: James Gandon designed this neoclassical mansion in the 18th century, and the parkland around it is half the visit. Emo Court stands near Emo in County Laois.
• Heywood Gardens: Heywood Gardens near Abbeyleix is an early 20th-century formal garden designed by Edwin Lutyens and Gertrude Jekyll.

What's on

All events in this county

Nearby counties

County Offaly

Clonmacnoise on the Shannon and Birr's telescope are the two great stops, with bog, canal and the Slieve Bloom foothills between them. A heritage county that rewards a planned day.

County Carlow

A quiet county along the River Barrow, with dolmens in the fields, good gardens and the Blackstairs Mountains for walking. Market towns keep the pace slow.

County Kilkenny

A medieval city with its castle, cathedral and lanes intact, and hurling in its blood. Beyond it the Nore and Barrow valleys settle into villages and abbey ruins.

Part of Ireland's Ancient East.