Vicarstown is an attractive port on the Grand Canal. It is also a useful base for walking, cycling, boating and fishing. Buildings of attraction include the 1860s Grattan School and Grattan Lodge that were built in 1882 by Henry Grattan’s Grand-daughter Lady Pauline Grattan Bellew.
The origin of this colony goes back to the early Christianity. There was a parochial church during the medieval period. A sheila-na-gig was discovered recently in the graveyard of the Church of Ireland church. Rosenallis grew as a village and it became a Quaker colony and linen centre later like Mountmellick. Less than a mile out of the village on the Mountmellick road is a beautiful “Society of Friends Rosenallis Burial Ground”.
This county town was once called Maryborough. It was fortified during the reign of Philip and Mary as part of a plan to subdue the O’ Mores, the local chiefs, but nothing other than the outer wall of the tower remains today. Golf (18) at ‘The Heath’, tennis is still there. Further, a jazz festival is held at the beginning of June each year.
Mountmellick was founded in the seventeenth century within a curve of the Owenass River. At the outset it was a town of great industry and prosperity dominated by the enterprise of the Quaker community and later served by the Grand Canal. The Mountmellick Development Association which commissioned the conversion of a grain mill into a Business Park/Enterprise Centre for industry wishing to locate in the town exemplifies the towns enterprise. There is a Quaker museum and exhibitons in this pleasing town with a fine square, architecturally impressive houses, shops and ecclesiastical buildings.
This was initially a Norman borough town, and it was made part of Killkenny later by the Ormonds in the seventeenth century. This town was returned to the county in 1846 by Act of Parliament. A planned estate village, it had been developed under the patronage of the Viscounts Ashbrook. Its finest feature is the suite of buildings surrounding the Green under the gates and beautifully designed modern primary school and the important “castle” (1713-32) one of the last large pre-Palladian houses built in Ireland designed by its owner William Flower.
The Ballaghmore Castle (1480), the chief seat of the Mac Gillpatricks (Fitzpatricks) Lords of Upper Ossory is strategically placed on the Bealach Mor, the great road to Munster. It was partially restored it in the 1830s. After Ely was murdered by a tenant and the castle was neglected for a long time, it was bought by the present owners in 1990 and renovated. Ballaghmore Castle has many interesting features including a rare monstrous sheila-an-gig on the wall facing front south, and outstanding views from the battlements of the past. Visitors get good guidance during their tour, and are warmly welcome. There is a very small, open to the public throughout the year, and is said to be a converted school house. With very small galleries inside and a sexton’s house at the back, this church is kept beautifully. North of the Ballaghmore Castle on Kyle Hill is stands the legendary Brehon’s Chair.
This is a typically seventeenth-century market town while the ruins of Ballinakill Castle represents a late seventeenth-century castle built by the Dunnes (but never inhabited). This castle had been erected on the site of one that was once destroyed by Cormwellian troops under Fairfax. The streets around the large rectangular square was characterised by an eighteenth-century configuration. is marked by Two trees known as Toll Trees marked the town’s entrance from Abbeyleix and a toll had to be paid here by visitors to the town. This town had important carnivals, a brewery, and factories producing wool and tan.
Abbeyleix that lies 14 km to the south of Portlaoise is named after a Cistercian abbey founded here in 1183 by Conor O’ More. Today, with tree-lined streets, golf, tennis and game fishing, this town is a real attraction. The tomb of Malachi O’ More, a Laois chieftain situates in the grounds of the de Vesci demsne (which is not open to the public).
Founded by St. Fintan (d.603), Clonenagh was the most important monastery of ancient Leix. It located on the Slige Dala (road of the assemblies) ensured its importance in early medieval Ireland. O’Mores, descendants of the Loigis kings were the patrons of Clonenagh upto the sixteenth-century, and it was the monastic home of Oengus the Celi De (see Coolbangher). The Book of Leinster or Lebar na Nuachongbala started life here before moving to Oughaval near Stradbally. Today there you will see two graveyards, the ruins of an early church and a penny tree that collapsed recently.
Sir Henry Bennett, Lord Arlington founded this in 1666 in a curve of the Barrow River. After the Jacoite wars, the lands were handed over to General Rouvigney, Earl of Galway. He established a thriving colony of French Huguenots in the town with separate chapels and schools for the English and French. Coupled with education (with 16 schools eventually) the town became a centre for silversmiths and banking. The estate Rouvigney sold to the London Hollow Sword-blade Company was later passed to the Dawson family and remained with them until the late nineteenth-century. Georgian, Huguenot and Victorian architecture of exceptional quality are assets of this town. There is an annual French Festival held in this town.