Abbeyleix

Abbeyleix is a small heritage town in County Laois, founded in 1183 around a Cistercian abbey in the River Nore valley. In 1790, Viscount de Vesci relocated the settlement to higher ground, creating one of Ireland's earliest planned villages. The town sits on the N77 road between Portlaoise and Kilkenny, with local attractions including a preserved raised bog, historic tower houses, and elegant Heywood Gardens designed by Edwin Lutyens.

M&A Coach Route 828 runs from Portlaoise (with train connections from Dublin) to Abbeyleix in 30 minutes, continuing to Durrow, Urlingford, and Cashel. There are five buses Monday-Saturday and two on Sunday. Slieve Bloom Coach Route 825 operates three services Monday-Friday from Portlaoise via Ballinakill and Durrow to Rathdowney and Borris-in-Ossory. By road from Dublin, follow N7/M7 to Portlaoise then N77 south.

Abbeyleix Bog is within walking distance of the town centre. The bus runs to Durrow. Heywood Gardens is 5 km southeast and requires transport; a bicycle would suffice. Local bus stops are on Main Street.

Visit between April and September for longer daylight hours and better conditions for walking the bog trails and gardens. The Durrow Scarecrow Festival in late July and the Power of Words poetry festival in late August offer unique local cultural experiences. Winters are damp and dark, typical for rural Ireland.

Cullahill Castle is a crumbling five-storey tower house built in 1425, wrecked by Cromwell in 1650, located off the road south to Thurles and Cashel. Gortnaclea Castle is a similar five-storey ruin along a back lane near Liscolman, visible from the lane looping around the private field. Donaghmore Workhouse (Dunacleggan) is a grim famine-era institution opened in 1853, now a museum (adult €5, conc €3, M-F 11AM-5PM).

Abbeyleix Golf Club on the north side offers purple tees at 6236 yards, par 72. The Durrow Scarecrow Festival takes place in late July (28 July - 8 August 2024) with scarecrow competitions and hay bale dressing contests. Power of Words is a poetry and creative writing festival held in Abbeyleix in late August, with 2024 dates to be announced.

Breslin's SuperValu in the village centre is open Monday-Saturday 7AM-9PM and Sunday 8:30AM-9PM. First Ireland Spirits produces liqueurs and pre-mixed cocktails on the industrial estate northwest of Abbeyleix but does not offer tours.

Gallic Kitchen at 10 Main St serves breakfast and lunch Tuesday-Sunday 9:30AM-5PM. Other options in Abbeyleix include Jade Palace, Tasty Spice, Capri Grill, Mueller and O'Connell Bakery, Papa Noni, and McEvoy's Steak & Wine Bar. In Durrow, Kim's and Bowe's Cafe serve casual meals, while Ashbrook Arms and Castle Durrow offer more upscale dining.

Morrissey's Pub on Main St is an atmospheric old pub taking its present form in 1880, with hours Monday-Thursday 5-11:30PM, Friday-Saturday noon-12:30AM, Sunday 12:30-11PM. Abbeyleix also has Benny's pub. Durrow pubs include Durrow Inn, Dec's, and Bob's Bar.

Abbeyleix Manor Hotel on Cork Rd is a modern mid-range hotel with 46 bedrooms; B&B doubles from €80, with quieter rooms at the back. In Durrow, Castle Arms Hotel has 15 en-suite rooms in the village centre. Castle Durrow Hotel is a grand pre-Palladian mansion built from 1712, converted to a plush hotel in 1998 with excellent reviews, often catering for weddings. B&Bs in Abbeyleix (Hillview House, Sandymount House) did not reopen in 2021.

As of June 2021, Abbeyleix has 4G coverage from all Irish carriers. 5G has not yet reached this area.

Kilkenny is an attractive small city with a castle and medieval heritage. Mountrath is the access point for trails on the south slopes of the Slieve Bloom Mountains. Portlaoise, the county town, is a transport hub with sights like Rock of Dunamase located outside the centre. Mountmellick provides access to the north slopes of the Slieve Bloom Mountains.