Abbeyleix

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Abbeyleix
Mainistir Laoise

Location

Image:Locationinireland.gif

Image:Ireland map County Laois Magnified.png

WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates:
52°53′57″N 7°21′27″W / 52.8992, -7.3575

Irish Grid Reference
S435850

Statistics

Province:

Leinster

County:

County Laois

Elevation:

129 m

Population (2002)
- Town:
- Rural:

1,383
2,379

Abbeyleix or Abbeylaois (Irish: Mainistir Laoise, meaning Laois Abbey) is a town in County Laois, Republic of Ireland about 14 km from Portlaoise. It is located on the N8 National Primary Route.

1 History
2 Transport
3 Amenities
4 Buildings of note
5 Notable residents
6 Sport
7 See also
8 References
9 External links

[edit] History

Coordinates: 52°54′N, 7°21′W

Abbeyleix was founded in the 18th century as a town by Viscount de Vesci 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.

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Abbeyleix, Main St

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.

[edit] Transport

Abbeyleix railway station opened on 1 March 1865, but finally closed on 1 January 1963.^[1]

[edit] Amenities

There is a district hospital in the town, and a number of shops and pubs. 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. A new state of the art conference centre is due open in early spring 2007.

Image:Abbeyleix Market House restoration.jpg

Restoration of Market House (November 2007)

Image:Plaque on Market House Abbeyleix.jpg

Plaque on Market House

[edit] 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 is currently (as of 2007) being renovated as a state of the art library/exhibition centre.
Open once annually to the public, for local charity, are the beautiful grounds of the old de Vesci estate.
Also of note are the the heritage centre & the sensory gardens on Main Street.
The Abbeyleix South National School is a beautiful 19th century building.

[edit] Notable residents

Launt Thompson, (1833-1894), born in Abbeyleix, was a noted sculptor. ^[2]

[edit] Sport

Abbeyleix GAA
The Abbeyleix Golf Course is an 18 hole course located near the town.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

^ Abbeyleix station. Railscot - Irish Railways. Retrieved on 2007-09-08.
^ (1963) Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896. Chicago: Marquis Who's Who.