This piece originally appeared on LaoisToday in August, to mark the 50th anniversary of the 1974 Portlaoise Prison breakout.
Oh, there's 19 men a-missing,
And they didn't use the door.
Just blew a little hole,
Where there wasn't one before.
Now the army and...
Portarlington woman Davinia Knight was crowned the winner of the 'Best Dressed Lady at the Galway Races on Thursday of the festival this year.
Thursday always marks Ladies Day at the Galway Races, drawing the biggest crowd of the festival...
We spoke with Zach Tuohy in August after he announced his AFL retirement.
After announcing his retirement from Australian Rules last week, Zach Tuohy is adamant that he will be lining out with Portlaoise once again in the coming seasons.
Tuohy...
Below are the recent local deaths.
May they rest in peace.
Ita Kennedy (née Murphy)
Portlaoise, Laois/Carrickmacross, Monaghan
Ita Kennedy (nee Murphy), Dunmasc, Portlaoise and late of Carrickmacross, Co Monaghan. Formerly Kennedy’s Chemist, Main St. Portlaoise. Ita passed away peacefully on 23rd December...
That was a long day!
And it's really only the start. The 2024 Local Election count got underway on Saturday with the sports hall in Scoil Chríost Rí in Portlaoise as the base for the separating and sorting of the...
We originally published this story in January of this year.
George Clooney is one of the most recognisable faces in the world, and the Hollywood icon can trace his Irish roots all the way back to Abbeyleix.
Clooney is currently promoting...
It was a wonderful occasion in Holy Family Senior and Junior Schools yesterday as a popular priest was recognised in his Jubilee year.
Monsignor John Byrne was the guest of honour as hundreds gathered in Portlaoise yesterday.
The event was driven...
Portlaoise Panthers 93 Dublin Lions 76
Men's National Basketball League Division 1
Portlaoise Panthers wore down a stubborn Dublin Lions outfit in Coláiste Bríde on Saturday night to push their unbeaten run in Men’s Division One into double figures.
The 10 and...
Portlaoise Panthers 66 SETU Waterford Wildcats 70
Women's Basketball Super League
Portlaoise Panthers very nearly pulled off the shock of the Women’s Super League season as they mounted a ferocious challenge against SETU Waterford Wildcats before being ultimately pipped by the...
Below are the recent local deaths.
May they rest in peace.
Lorraine Lyons (née Tyrrell)
Gort na Nóir, Abbeyleix, Laois
Predeceased by her mother Angela and brother David. Deeply regretted by her husband John , son Ricky , father Sonny ,sisters Martina and...
History was made in London in October as North London Shamrocks claimed London SFC glory for the first time ever.
They defeated St Kiernan's in the final to claim success by 1-11 to 1-8.
It was a historic day and there...
For a young man, David Dooley has had a career less ordinary. We chatted to the Laois hurler before this year's Joe McDonagh Cup final in Croke Park.
For some members of the Laois senior hurling panel, Saturday's Joe McDonagh...
A new Chief Executive of Laois County Council is set to be appointed, with former Director of Services Michael Rainey to be rubber-stamped for the position next week.
Mr Rainey's name was put to a meeting of Council's CPG group...
Laois minor hurling manager Glen McEvoy has named a 35-player panel ahead of the 2025 season.
The Clonaslee native has picked players from 16 different clubs across the county.
Clough-Ballacolla have the highest representation with five of their players selected.
The Harps...
In June, we attended a function to mark the retirement of one of the longest-serving school principals in the country.
Muriel Wall-Coughlan has made an incredible contribution to education - and her remarkable 51-year teaching career was celebrated in Scoil...
The Laois Hunt Ball took place in the Castle Arms Hotel in Durrow in January.
There was serious style on show as member of Laois Hunt gathered for their annual Ball on Saturday evening.
The Castle Arms in Durrow was the...
In January, we reported that there are plans for a new restaurant planned in Abbeyleix.
An internationally renowned chef has announced his intention to open a restaurant and a guesthouse on a site just outside of Abbeyleix.
Cúán Greene, a 31-year-old...
The following is an extract from Garrett Malone's book Goal-den Days, which can be purchased at this link here.
According to the 2022 census figures, Laois has a population of just under 92,000 people, placing it 23RD population-wise among the counties of...
Below are the recent local deaths.
May they rest in peace.
Br. James (Timothy) O'Sullivan
Lehid, Tuosist, Killarney, Kerry/Castletown, Laois
Br. James (Timothy) O'Sullivan, De La Salle Brothers, Castletown, Portlaoise, Co. Laois and late of Lehid, Tuosist, Killarney, Co. Kerry. Died December 21st...
Road users have been urged to take extra precaution this Christmas while driving following a tragic year on Irish roads.
That is after figures show that to date, 167 people have been killed so far this year.
Taoiseach Simon Harris is...
Laois Traveller Action Group (LTAG) launched their first ever Traveller Cookbook on Tuesday last, December 17, at Dunamaise Arts Centre, Portlaoise.
Women within the Laois Travelling community worked very hard over the last six months to produce this book
It is...
As we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ this year, I’m conscious of all what we have to be grateful for.
Many long for what so often we take for granted.
The terrible tragedy of Israel and Gaza, the ongoing...
Crettyard’s success in the 2024 Laois intermediate football championship sees them rewarded with eight positions on this year’s Team of the Year selection.
Having being relegated from Senior in 2019, they finally took the intermediate grade by storm this year.
They...
And just like that, the end of 2024 is almost upon us.
So before the year gets wrapped up, Steven Miller is joined by Alan Hartnett to look back on the main talking points of the season.
In this combined football...
Below are the recent local deaths.
May they rest in peace.
Denis Dunne
Barrowhouse, Athy, Kildare/Laois
Peacefully, in Carlow District Hospital. Deeply regretted by his loving wife Attracta, sons Barry and Kieran, daughter Claire, brothers Christy and Thomas, sisters Betty and Bridie, Kieran's...
As Christmas approaches, there’s still time to experience the festive magic at SOLAS Eco Garden Centre in Portarlington but don’t delay — this weekend is your final chance to visit Santa! before he packs up his sleigh and heads...
The hugely talented John Whelan joins us on the latest version of the LoveLaois Podcast where he tells us of his journey into writing poetry.
John has essentially been writing for a living for almost half a century though poetry...
“Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food,” said Greek physician and celebrated ‘Father of Medicine’ Hippocrates, which is as true today as it was when first uttered almost 2,500 years ago.
For food is what brings people...
Laois GAA have announced that Jake Darcy is the U-20 footballer of the year for the 2024 season.
The Annanough defender, who is eligible for the grade again next year, achieved the accolade after captaining Stradbally Parish Gaels to championship...
With another edition of the Laois Senior Hurling Championship in the history books we've come up LaoisToday Senior Hurling Team of the Year.
Champions Clough-Ballacolla lead the way with eight selections as they reclaimed the Bob O'Keeffe Cup after a...
