Abbeyleix (; ) is a town in County Laois,

Ireland Ireland ( ; ga, Éire ; Ulster Scots dialect, Ulster-Scots: ) is an island in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, in Northwestern Europe, north-western Europe. It is separated from Great Britain to its east by the North Channel (Grea ...

, located around south of the county town of

Portlaoise Portlaoise ( ), or Port Laoise (), is the county town of County Laois, Ireland. It is located in the South Midlands in the province of Leinster. The 2016 census shows that the town's population increased by 9.5% to 22,050, which was well above ...

. Abbeyleix was formerly located on the N8, the main road from Dublin to Cork. At one point, up to 15,000 vehicles passed along the town's main street every day. Since May 2010, however, the town has been bypassed by the M8 motorway, with the former N8 consequently downgraded to the N77 national secondary road.

History

There was a settlement at Abbeyleix as early as 1183, that grew up near the

River Nore The River Nore ( ga, An Fheoir ) is one of the principal rivers (along with the River Suir and River Barrow) in the South-East Region of Ireland. The river drains approximately of Leinster and Munster, that encompasses parts of three coun ...

, around a

Cistercian The Cistercians, () officially the Order of Cistercians ( la, (Sacer) Ordo Cisterciensis, abbreviated as OCist or SOCist), are a Catholic religious order of monks and nuns that branched off from the Benedictines and follow the Rule of Sain ...

monastery - which gives the town its name. Monument to John Vesey, 2nd Viscount de Vesci

Modern Abbeyleix is one of the oldest planned estate towns in Ireland. It was largely built in the 18th century by

Viscount de Vesci Viscount de Vesci, of Abbeyleix in the Queen's County, now called County Laois (pronounced "leash"), is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1776 for Thomas Vesey, 2nd Baron Knapton and 3rd Baronet. The title Baron Knapton was cr ...

. The regular flooding of the

made the town an unhealthy place to live. Around 1790,

John Vesey John Vesey or Veysey ( – 23 October 1554) was Bishop of Exeter from 1519 until his death in 1554, having been briefly deposed 1551–3 by King Edward VI for his opposition to the Reformation. Origins He was born (as "John Harman"), probabl ...

determined that the location of the town was not suitable for his tenants, and began to design a new one. The old town was levelled, and the residents moved to the new one. A memorial to the 2nd Viscount de Vesci, paid for by subscriptions, is in the town center. It features a water trough for horses. Today, there are many historical structures standing in and around the town - ancient ring forts, burial grounds, churches and estate houses. The town once had a carpet factory, established in 1904 by Yvo de Vesci, the 5th Viscount – notably producing some of the carpets used on the RMS ''Olympic'' and RMS ''Titanic''. The Abbeyleix Heritage House is a local heritage centre, with visitor information and an exhibition on the county's history and local attractions. Original antique carpets and vintage costumes are on display alongside archaeological and historical artefacts.

Transport

Road

The N8 road to

Cork Cork or CORK may refer to: Materials * Cork (material), an impermeable buoyant plant product ** Cork (plug), a cylindrical or conical object used to seal a container ***Wine cork Places Ireland * Cork (city) ** Metropolitan Cork, also known as G ...

passed through Abbeyleix prior to the opening of the M8 motorway in 2010. With the opening of the M8 the N77 road was extended along the route of the former N8 from Durrow to

. Access to the M8 from Abbeyleix is also provided via the R433 road.

Rail

Abbeyleix railway station Abbeyleix railway station served the town of Abbeyleix in County Laois, Ireland. The station opened on 1 March 1865. Passenger services were withdrawn on 1 January 1963 by the CIÉ. History Opened by the Kilkenny Junction Railway, by the be ...

, on the line from Portlaoise to Kilkenny, opened on 1 March 1865 and closed on 1 January 1963.

Bus

Bus Éireann Bus Éireann (; "Irish Bus") is a state-owned bus and coach operator providing services throughout Ireland, with the exception of Dublin and the Greater Dublin Area, where bus services are provided by sister company Dublin Bus. It is a subs ...

's expressway service between

Dublin Dublin (; , or ) is the capital and largest city of Ireland. On a bay at the mouth of the River Liffey, it is in the province of Leinster, bordered on the south by the Dublin Mountains, a part of the Wicklow Mountains range. At the 2016 ...

and Cork ceased to serve Abbeyleix on 30 June 2012. As an interim measure until 11 August 2012 Bus Éireann operated a shuttle service (route 128) to connect with Expressway services at Portlaoise. Slieve Bloom Coaches also have a route from

Borris-in-Ossory Borris-in-Ossory (, or the ' Burgage of Osraige') is a village in west County Laois, Ireland. Bypassed by the M7 motorway on 28 May 2010, the village is situated on the R445 road close to the County Tipperary border between the towns of Mountr ...

to Portlaoise which serves the town.

Amenities

There is a district hospital in the town, and a number of shops and pubs. Father Breen Park has fields for soccer and other sports, while the adjacent CYMS hall is home to a number of clubs. Heritage House also provides guided tours of the museum and runs workshops throughout the year. The Abbeyleix Manor Hotel is part of the Magnuson Hotels chain. The "Lords Walk Loop" is a 2.4 kilometer loop that traces an old walking route taken by the De Vesci Family to reach the local church and railway station.

Buildings of note

Abbeyleix House Abbeyleix House, sometimes called Abbeyleix Castle, is an Irish country house that was the residence of the Viscounts de Vesci in County Laois, Ireland. It was designed by architect James Wyatt and built by Sir William Chambers in 1773. The de ...

and the de Vesci estate (Abbeyleix Estate) is located on the Ballacolla road. As of 2019, the estate was being marketed for sale, with an asking price of €20 million. Within the town, Abbeyleix Market House is a five-bay, four storey building which was previously used as a fire station and library. It has been renovated as a library and exhibition centre. Heritage House is a visitor centre which houses a local history museum. This 19th-century building was once the North Boys School. Both the Market House and Heritage House are listed on the

Record of Protected Structures Conservation in the Republic of Ireland is overseen by a number of statutory and non-governmental agencies, including those with responsibility for conservation of the built environment and conservation of the natural environment in Ireland. Con ...

for County Laois.

Sport

Abbeyleix GAA Abbeyleix St Lazerians is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in Abbeyleix, County Laois, Ireland. The club grounds are called Fr Breen Park and the club colours are Primrose and Blue. History The club plays at senior level in hurling and has ...

club is the local

Gaelic Athletic Association The Gaelic Athletic Association (GAA; ga, Cumann Lúthchleas Gael ; CLG) is an Irish international amateur sporting and cultural organisation, focused primarily on promoting indigenous Gaelic games and pastimes, which include the traditional ...

club. Abbeyleix Golf Club and Abbeyleix Lawn Tennis Club were established in 1895 and 1909 respectively. Other sports clubs in the area include a

hockey Hockey is a term used to denote a family of various types of both summer and winter team sports which originated on either an outdoor field, sheet of ice, or dry floor such as in a gymnasium. While these sports vary in specific rules, numbers o ...

club and soccer (association football) club.Abbeyleix Soccer Club
/ref>

Notable residents

* Sarah "Venie" Barr, (1875 – 1947) political and community activist *

Launt Thompson Launt Thompson (February 8, 1833 – September 26, 1894) was an American sculptor. Biography He was born in Abbeyleix, Ireland. Due to the Great Famine occurring in Ireland at the time, he emigrated to the United States in 1847 with his widowed ...

(1833–1894), sculptor. * Sir Edward Massey (1619–1674), English soldier and parliamentarian *

Francis Bacon Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Alban (; 22 January 1561 – 9 April 1626), also known as Lord Verulam, was an English philosopher and statesman who served as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England. Bacon led the advancement of both ...

(1909–1992), artist

References

External links

Abbeyleix Irish Heritage Towns

Abbeyleix.ie

Abbeyleix Bog

Abbeyleix Further Ed. Centre

Abbeyleix Tidy Towns
{{County Laois Towns and villages in County Laois Townlands of County Laois Planned communities in the Republic of Ireland