Heritage of County Laois

The Laois Heritage Officer is responsible for conservation, promoting awareness and collecting data on the built, natural and cultural heritage of Laois. The guiding strategy for the work of the Heritage Office is the Laois Heritage and Biodiversity Strategy 2021 – 2026.

We aim to promote pride in the heritage of Laois, and to increase awareness, appreciation and enjoyment of all aspects of the County’s heritage. Click on the links below for details of plans, programmes and projects in support of this aim.

• Archaeology
  • Rock of Dunamase
  • Fort Protector, Portlaoise
  • Community Monuments Fund
  • Excavations 
  • Medieval Churches
  • Monuments
• Architecture
  • Laois County Council-owned buildings
  • Medieval Churches
  • Protected Structures
  • Vernacular buildings
• Biodiversity
  • Biodiversity Week
  • Gardening for biodiversity
  • Habitats
  • Invasive Species
  • Nature is good for you!
  • Local Biodiversity Action Plans
  • Nest-boxes
  • Pollinators
  • Research & Surveys in Laois
  • Species 
  • Swift conservation
    • Stradbally
    • Portlaoise 
  • Wetlands
  • Wildlife in Buildings
• Climate Change and Heritage
• Conservation projects
  • Conservation and Pollination
  • Donaghmore Workhouse
  • Fitzmaurice Place and Fort Protector
  • Killabban Medieval Church
  • Kilmanman Medieval Church
  • Kilteale Medieval Church
  • Old St Peter’s Church and Graveyard, Portlaoise
  • Timahoe Monastic Site
  • Robert Hartpole Effigy
• Cultural Heritage
  • Graveyards and memorials
  • Museums
  • Placenames
• Exploring Laois
  • Heritage Audioguides and App
  • Heritage in Schools
  • Laois Heritage Trail
    • Abbeyleix
    • Aghaboe Abbey
    • Donaghmore Workhouse
    • Durrow
    • Emo Court
    • Heywood Gardens
    • Irish Fly-Fishing and Game Shooting Museum
    • Mountmellick
    • Poet’s Cottage
    • Portarlington
    • Rock of Dunamase
    • Stradbally Steam Museum
    • Timahoe
• Funding for Heritage Projects
• Geology
  • Geological Sites of Laois
  • “Geology of Laois and Offaly” by John Feehan
• History of Laois
  • The Gordon Bennett Race 1903
  • Famous People of Laois
    • James Fintan Lalor
    • John Canon O’Hanlon (by Teddy Fennelly)
  • History of Aviation in Laois
    • Laois Festival of Flight
    • Festival of Flight 2022
•  Laois Heritage Plans
  • Laois Heritage Forum
  • Laois Heritage and Biodiversity Strategy 2021-2026
  • Laois Heritage Plan 2014 – 2019
  • Laois Heritage Plan 2007 – 2011
  • Laois Heritage Plan 2002 – 2006
•  News and Events
  • Laois Festival of Flight
  • Biodiversity Week
  • Heritage Week
• Publications

Heritage Week 2023 in Laois

Heritage Week 2023 takes place from 12^th – 20^th August, and there is a wide variety of events happening in Laois, which explore and celebrate the county’s built, natural, and cultural heritage.

For more information click here

Heritage Projects 2022

Details of all 2022 projects here. All plans for the year are detailed in our Annual Action Plan 2022 (Download pdf).

Heritage Projects 2021

Details of 2021 projects under the Laois Heritage and Biodiversity Strategy here.

Preparing for the conservation work at Clopook graveyard, Co. Laois which will be carried out by Laois and Offaly County Councils as part of a Just Transition Funded project “Conservation and Pollination”. Committee members from left: Raymond Lacey, chairman; Cllr Padraig Fleming, Paddy Lacey, Patrick O’Neill, Mary McMahon, treasurer and Eilish O’Neill. Picture: Alf Harvey.

The Col James Fitzmaurice Commemoration committee at the Laois Festival of Flight Ceremony of Commemoration at Fitzmaurice Place, Portlaoise on Sunday 10 April 2022. From left: Tim Costello, Catherine Casey, Louise Fennelly, Michael Parsons, Teddy Fennelly (chairman); Alan Phelan, Ralph James and Sean Murray.
Picture: Alf Harvey.

So what does a Heritage Officer do anyway?

Click here to download information on the Heritage Officers of Ireland.

For up to the minute information on Laois heritage, check out Laois Heritage Office on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.