County Laois

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County Laois
Contae Laoise

Location

Statistics

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.

1 History
2 Geography
3 Economy
4 Politics
5 Population
6 Towns and villages
7 Places of interest
8 List of notable Laois people
9 References
10 External link

[edit] 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.

[edit] 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]"

[edit] 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, that is four cows for every person.

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 in County Laois and annual income is lower than the national average, at about 88% of the average. The county makes up part of the Border Midlands and West region for the purposes of EU funding.

[edit] 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.

[edit] Population

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

[edit] Towns and villages

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

[edit] Places of interest

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

[edit] List of notable Laois people

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 Leighlinison
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
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"
Kivas Tully (1820-1905), architect, Trinity College, Toronto, the Custom House and the Bank of Montreal
The rock group 79Cortinaz hail from both Laois, and Carlow Ireland.