County Laois - Definition and Overview

County Laois
Area:	1,719 km²
Capital:	Portlaoise
Code:	LS
Population:	58,774 (2002)
Province:	Leinster

Laois (pronounced Leash), also spelt Laoighis or Leix, is a county in the midlands of Ireland. Situated in the province of Leinster, this small county is the only one in Ireland not bordered by another county with a coastline. Area: 1719 km² (664 square miles).

Created in 1556 by Mary I of England as "Queen's County", Laois received its present Irish language name following the War of Irish Independence. Portlaoise is the county town.

Towns and villages

• Abbeyleix, Aghaboe
• Ballaghmore, Ballickmoyler, Ballinakill, Ballyfin, Ballylynan, Ballyroan,Borris-in-ossory
• Clonenagh
• Donaghmore, Durrow
• Emo
• Mountmellick, Mountrath
• Portarlington, Portlaoise
• Rathdowney, Rosenallis
• Stradbally
• Timahoe
• Vicarstown

Places of interest

• Slieve Bloom Mountains
• Rock of Dunamase

	Traditional counties of Ireland
Connacht: Galway | Leitrim | Mayo | Roscommon | Sligo
Munster: Clare | Cork | Kerry | Limerick | Tipperary | Waterford
Leinster: Carlow | Dublin | Kildare | Kilkenny | Laois | Longford | Louth | Meath | Offaly | Westmeath | Wexford | Wicklow
Ulster: Antrim * | Armagh * | Cavan | Donegal | Down * | Fermanagh * | Londonderry * | Monaghan | Tyrone *
* Counties in Northern Ireland (other counties are in the Republic of Ireland)
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