Abbeyleix
Encyclopedia
Abbeyleix is a town in County Laois
, Ireland
about 14 km (9 mi) from Portlaoise and located on the N77
national secondary route. Formerly the N8 National Primary Route
ran through the centre of the town, making Abbeyleix an infamous bottleneck on the Dublin-Cork corridor with up to 15,000 vehicles passing through the main street everyday. However, the town was bypassed by the M8 motorway
on 28 May, 2010.
and is situated near a 12th century Cistercian monastery beside the River Nore
. Today, there is a large range of historical structures still standing in and around the small village - ancient ring forts, burial grounds, early monastic buildings, Norman
and mediaeval
castles, churches and colonial estate houses. The town once had a carpet factory - notably producing some of the carpets used on the RMS Titanic.
There is a heritage house located in the old Patrician monastery schoolhouse which provides information on the towns history. Abbeyleix was made a Heritage town of Ireland several years ago.
to Cork is provided via the R433 road
, while the N77 links the town with the Dublin-Limerick M7 and to Kilkenny
. Abbeyleix railway station
opened on 1 March 1865, but finally closed on 1 January 1963.
Bus Eireann
operates an expressway service between Dublin and Cork which calls at Abbeyleix, whilst Aircoach
operate a similar service that also calls at Dublin Airport.
party in both Local and Dáil Éireann
elections.
County Laois
County Laois is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It was formerly known as Queen's County until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. The county's name was formerly spelt as Laoighis and Leix. Laois County Council...
, Ireland
Republic of Ireland
Ireland , described as the Republic of Ireland , is a sovereign state in Europe occupying approximately five-sixths of the island of the same name. Its capital is Dublin. Ireland, which had a population of 4.58 million in 2011, is a constitutional republic governed as a parliamentary democracy,...
about 14 km (9 mi) from Portlaoise and located on the N77
N77 road (Ireland)
The N77 road is a national secondary road in Ireland. It links the N10 national primary on the ring road south of Kilkenny, County Kilkenny to the N8 national primary road at Durrow in County Laois.-Upgrades and Extensions:...
national secondary route. Formerly the N8 National Primary Route
Roads in Ireland
The island of Ireland, comprising Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, has an extensive network of tens of thousands of kilometres of public roads, usually surfaced. These roads have been developed and modernised over centuries, from trackways suitable only for walkers and horses, to...
ran through the centre of the town, making Abbeyleix an infamous bottleneck on the Dublin-Cork corridor with up to 15,000 vehicles passing through the main street everyday. However, the town was bypassed by the M8 motorway
M8 motorway (Ireland)
The M8 motorway is an inter-urban motorway in Ireland, which forms part of the road from the capital - Dublin - to Cork city. The 149 km motorway commences in the townland of Aghaboe, County Laois and runs through the counties of Kilkenny, North Tipperary, South Tipperary and Limerick,...
on 28 May, 2010.
History
Abbeyleix was founded in the 18th century as a town by Viscount de VesciViscount de Vesci
Viscount de Vesci, of Abbey Leix in the Queen's County, is a title in the Peerage of Ireland. It was created in 1776 for Thomas Vesey, 2nd Baron Knapton. The title of Baron Knapton was created in the Peerage of Ireland in 1750 for the first Viscount's father Sir John Vesey, 2nd Baronet, who had...
and is situated near a 12th century Cistercian monastery beside the River Nore
River Nore
The River Nore is a long river located in south-east of Ireland. Along with the River Suir and River Barrow, it is one of the constituent rivers of the group known as the Three Sisters. The river drains approximately of Leinster. The river rises in the Devil's Bit Mountain, North Tipperary...
. Today, there is a large range of historical structures still standing in and around the small village - ancient ring forts, burial grounds, early monastic buildings, Norman
Norman architecture
About|Romanesque architecture, primarily English|other buildings in Normandy|Architecture of Normandy.File:Durham Cathedral. Nave by James Valentine c.1890.jpg|thumb|200px|The nave of Durham Cathedral demonstrates the characteristic round arched style, though use of shallow pointed arches above the...
and mediaeval
Middle Ages
The Middle Ages is a periodization of European history from the 5th century to the 15th century. The Middle Ages follows the fall of the Western Roman Empire in 476 and precedes the Early Modern Era. It is the middle period of a three-period division of Western history: Classic, Medieval and Modern...
castles, churches and colonial estate houses. The town once had a carpet factory - notably producing some of the carpets used on the RMS Titanic.
There is a heritage house located in the old Patrician monastery schoolhouse which provides information on the towns history. Abbeyleix was made a Heritage town of Ireland several years ago.
Transport
Access to the M8 motorwayM8 motorway (Ireland)
The M8 motorway is an inter-urban motorway in Ireland, which forms part of the road from the capital - Dublin - to Cork city. The 149 km motorway commences in the townland of Aghaboe, County Laois and runs through the counties of Kilkenny, North Tipperary, South Tipperary and Limerick,...
to Cork is provided via the R433 road
R433 road
The R433 road is a regional road in Ireland linking Templemore, County Tipperary and Abbeyleix, County Laois. It passes through the village of Clonmore, County Tipperary and Errill, County Laois and the towns of Rathdowney and Ballycolla, between which it forms junction 3 of the M8 Cork-Dublin...
, while the N77 links the town with the Dublin-Limerick M7 and to Kilkenny
Kilkenny
Kilkenny is a city and is the county town of the eponymous County Kilkenny in Ireland. It is situated on both banks of the River Nore in the province of Leinster, in the south-east of Ireland...
. Abbeyleix railway station
Abbeyleix railway station
Abbeyleix railway station served the town of Abbeyleix in County Laois, Republic of Ireland.The station opened on 1 March 1865. Passenger services were withdrawn on 1 January 1963 by the CIE.-History:...
opened on 1 March 1865, but finally closed on 1 January 1963.
Bus Eireann
Bus Éireann
Bus Éireann provides bus services in Ireland with the exception of those operated entirely within the Dublin Region, which are provided by Dublin Bus. Bus Éireann, established as a separate company in 1987, is a subsidiary of Córas Iompair Éireann. The logo of Bus Éireann incorporates a red Irish...
operates an expressway service between Dublin and Cork which calls at Abbeyleix, whilst Aircoach
Aircoach
Aircoach is a Republic of Ireland based subsidiary company of the United Kingdom based FirstGroup. It provides airport bus express coach services from Cork, Greystones, Bray, South Dublin and Dublin City Centre to Dublin Airport. It also operates contracted bus service for airport car parks...
operate a similar service that also calls at Dublin Airport.
Amenities
There is a district hospital in the town, and a number of shops and pubs, such as Morrissey's Pub, which claims to be the oldest in Ireland. The Father Breen Park forms the nexus for a great many activities, providing fields for soccer, football and other sports, while the adjacent CYMS hall is home to numerous clubs, such as boxing and Tae-Kwon-Do. The town boasts a newly built hotel - the Abbeyleix Manor Hotel. The hotel has recently extended to 46 bedrooms and includes a new state-of-the-art Conference Suite.Politics
Abbeyleix is part of the Borris-In-Ossory Electoral Area for Laois County Council. The area is largely regarded as supportive of the Fine GaelFine Gael
Fine Gael is a centre-right to centrist political party in the Republic of Ireland. It is the single largest party in Ireland in the Oireachtas, in local government, and in terms of Members of the European Parliament. The party has a membership of over 35,000...
party in both Local and Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann
Dáil Éireann is the lower house, but principal chamber, of the Oireachtas , which also includes the President of Ireland and Seanad Éireann . It is directly elected at least once in every five years under the system of proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote...
elections.
Buildings of note
- Abbeyleix Market House is a 5 bay, 2 story building which was until 2005 used as a Fire Station and Library. It has been renovated as a state of the art library/exhibition centre.
- The de Vesci estate on the Ballacolla road with its beautiful gardens is open to the public one day a year. All proceeds from this opening are given to a local charity.
- Also of note are the Heritage Centre & the Sensory Gardens on Main StreetMain StreetMain Street is the metonym for a generic street name of the primary retail street of a village, town, or small city in many parts of the world...
. - The Abbeyleix South National School is a beautiful 19th century building.
- Morrissey's public house on Main Street is a must for any visitor to the town.
- Preston House on Main Street is an old school house.
- Sextons House is a beautifully renovated cottage.
- Abbeyleix Further Education Centre, located on the Mountrath Road, is housed in a former Technical School and is a good example of the school architecture of the time.
- Bramleys on Main Street is the location of the old carpet factory. It is now a department store and coffee shop.
Notable residents
- Launt ThompsonLaunt ThompsonLaunt Thompson , American sculptor, born in Abbeyleix, Ireland. Due to the potato famine occurring in Ireland at the time, he emigrated to the United States in 1847 with his widowed mother, and they settled in Albany, New York. There, he found work as a handyman.-Biography:After studying anatomy...
, (1833–1894), born in Abbeyleix, was a noted sculptorSculptureSculpture is three-dimensional artwork created by shaping or combining hard materials—typically stone such as marble—or metal, glass, or wood. Softer materials can also be used, such as clay, textiles, plastics, polymers and softer metals...
.
Sport
- Abbeyleix GAAAbbeyleix GAAAbbeyleix St Lazerians is a Gaelic Athletic Association club in Abbeyleix, County Laois, Ireland.The club plays at senior level in hurling and has no less than 8 Laois Senior Football Championship titles to its credit, the last of which came in 1919....
- The Abbeyleix Golf Course is an 18-hole course located near the town.
- Abbeyleix Lawn Tennis Club.
- 7 a side Astroturf Pitch.
See also
- List of towns and villages in Ireland
- Market Houses in IrelandMarket Houses in the Republic of IrelandMarket houses are a notable feature of many Irish towns with varying styles of architecture, size and ornamentation making for a most interesting feature of the streetscape. Originally there were three, four or even five bays on the ground floor which were an open arcade. An upper floor was...