Promoting the Natural and Built Heritage of County Laois
Oliver J. Flanagan was for many years a divisive, controversial and at times eccentric figure in Irish politics. He was amongst the longest-serving T.D.s in the history of the state serving continuously from 1943 until 1987 for the Laois-Offaly constituency and for most of this period he was a member of Fine Gael. During his […]
THE GAS MEN OF MARYBOROUGH by John Dunne On the evening of Thursday, January 21, 1858, the town of Maryborough, for the very first time, was lit by gas. But why did this landmark event in the town’s history come as a surprise to the very Company set up to bring gas to the town? […]
Mountmellick Lace By Bridie Dunne Since its establishment the M.D.A. has been involved in promoting and conserving the local heritage. Having received a Millennium Recognition Award funded through Area Development Management it was decided to build a museum. Further funding from Laois LEADER Rural Development Co. Ltd. was received and the Mountmellick Museum is now complete. The main focus of […]
The Earl Grey Scheme and the Emigration of Girls from the Workhouses of Laois During the Great Famine, dozens of teenage girls left the workhouses of Laois bound for Australia. Their emigration was part of a British government scheme to provide the British colony with wives and domestic servants, and to rid the workhouses of […]
Crime and Punishment in Queen’s County: Agrarian Crime of the 1830s and Famine Crime 1845–1849 During the famine, there was widespread fear that the suffering of famine victims would erupt into the violent crime that would threaten property and property owners. There was the widespread talk of insurrection and outrage among resident landlords, merchants and […]