Laois Heritage Society was founded in the early 1970s. It replaced an organisation, Old Laois Society, which operated from the 1950s. It serves as the umbrella body for heritage interests in County Laois and draws its membership from all parts of the county.

Included in the Society's activities are regular talks, walks, outings, site visits and co-operating and supporting local heritage groups, where appropriate.
Among the Society's aims is to create awareness of the rich and unique heritage in the county. Anoter important part of its work is concerned with conservation and keeping a watching brief on threatened sites and artefacts.

The Society and its members have been involved with many important programmes and projects over the years. This has included the relocation of the War Memorial in Portlaoise to a new site at Tower Hill. It has also concerned itself with the takeover of Emo Court by the State.

Most importantly Laois Heritage Society has spearheaded the conservation work at the Rock of Dunamaise, the county's most important and visible heritage site. There were two achaeologival digs there in the 1990s and many important finds were made, including artefacts now in the National Museum. The second phase of a E1.9 million conservation project is in progress and will be completed in 2006.

Among the major projects being pursued in the establishment of a County Museum at the site of the Old Fort of Maryborough.



Laois Heritage Society - 2004
President: Michael O’Brien
Vice-Presidents: Frank Meehan and Michael Parsons
Chairman: Teddy Fennelly
Vice-Chairman: James Deegan M.C.C.
Hon. Sec.: Mary Lalor
Asst. Hon. Sec.: Andrias MacCuilleann
Treasurer: James Fleming
Committee: Ronnie Mathews (Portarlington), Michael Dowling (Camross), Fr.
Sean O’Doherty (P.P. Durrow), Eric Lewis (Portlaoise),
Tom Cox (Abbeyleix), Jackie Hyland (The Heath), P.J. Tynan (Vicarstown),
Mary Culliton (Mountmellick), Roy Meredith (Rosenallis),
John Mulhare (Mountrath), Pat Delaney (Timahoe), Helen Delaney (Timahoe),
Rody McGrath (Ballyroan), Paul Delaney (Portlaoise).
Publications Committee:
Chairman: Jackie Hyland, Teddy Fennelly (Editor),
Ronnie Mathews, Mary Lalor.


2004 - ANOTHER BUSY YEAR FOR THE SOCIETY

Laois Heritage Society has been very busy in 2004 implementing its programme
for the promotion of the county’s heritage.
The Society’s series of lectures were all well attended. We are grateful to
the Heritage Hotel, Portlaoise, for their generosity in hosting these events.
The speakers over the past year included Pascal O’Brien who spoke
on “The Great O’Neill”, Prof. Ruan O’Donnell on “Robert Emmet”, Naas
Historical Society members, Brian McCabe, Dan O’Leary and Ger McCarthy
on “The Moores of Cremorgan, Michael Parsons on “James Fintan Lalor” and
James Deegan (Luggacurren) on “The Railways of Laois”.
A major concern for the Society for many years was the lack of information
plaques on historical buildings and sites in Portlaoise. This is being currently
put right and beautiful plaques will soon be in place on at least fifteen
such sites while a number of other sites will be marked in Phase 2 of the
scheme in the New Year. These will form a Heritage Trail in Portlaoise, which
will be a major boost to the attractiveness of the town, making people aware
of its distinctive history. We gratefully acknowledge the great help given to
us in this and many other projects by our Laois Heritage Officer, Catherine
Casey.
Laois Heritage Society members and friends on a visit to
City Hall, Belfast in July 2004
6
Our annual summer outing this year was to Belfast. It attracted huge
numbers of members and friends who thoroughly enjoyed the visit. Our
thanks to Andrias MacCuilleann for organizing the trip.
Committee members have made a significant input into the heritage
aspects of the new County Development Plan. We hope that our recommendations
and concerns will be taken on board in the new Plan.
One of these recommendations is the provision of a County Museum.
Plans produced by Laois County Council to include a County Museum in
their proposed ambitious project, together with a new library and archives
center, situated at the Old Fort of Maryborough site, have been enthusiastically
supported by the Society. This is an enlightened plan, which would be
hugely beneficial to the people of the county as well as an added attraction
for visitors. The Society supports the concept of a living heritage centre with
inter-active IT representation of the rich history of the county rather than the
dusty outdated image of the traditional museum. This is a visionary proposal
and vision is something badly needed in the continuing development of our
county town. It could also provide the necessary supports needed by the
other museums of the county to remain open, meaningful and viable. Let’s
hope that the project gets the green light in 2005.
Among our concerns for 2005 is the Rock of Dunamace. Despite the
Society’s success some years ago in accessing Euro 1.9m. for the conservation
of the site, little progress has been made on the project. The conservation of
our most visible monument must be the concern of everyone in Laois, not
merely the heritage minded.
Next year is the centenary of the death of Laois’ greatest historian and
writer, Canon John O’Hanlon. O’Hanlon made an unique contribution to the
county and country in his writings and events are being planned to mark the
occasion.
This is the Society’s second Journal and it has been a labour of love for the
sub-committee concerned. A special thanks to all who contributed articles to
the Journal. We realize there is a wealth of historical information out there
somewhere and we would welcome contributions for our third Journal,
planned for 2005.

Teddy Fennelly
(Chairman)
Mary Lalor
(Honorary Secretary)