A Neighbour looks at an adjoining County

Every part of Ireland is full of interest; historically and archaeologically, every part repays investigation a hundred-fold. Laois is no exception. True, it may not have very impressive prehistoric remains but its early Christian sites at Killeshin and Timahoe are among the best in the country. Aghaboe was the first cell of St. Canice in the 6th century and is documented as such. Dunamase had a Celtic fort on its commanding summit before ever a Norman knight set foot in Ireland or built a castle there. A school for studies of St. Patrick was set up at Sletty by a coarb of St. Fiacc, Bishop of Leinster in the fifth century. Fragments of the castles of jhe MacGillapadraigs exist in many places; for upper Ossory, into which they were pushed at the time of the Norman invasion, is within the confines of Laois. Strongholds of the vigorous and unconquerable O'Moores are to be seen everywhere especially commemorated by their gravestones in the grounds of Abbeyleix House, originally a monastery of their foundation. Many stately mansions grace the lands of Laois today notably Abbeyleix House itself, Emo Court (James Gandon the architect here, and at nearby Coolbanagher Church), Ballyfin, Stradbally Hall and Durrow Castle.

Geographically Laois is an all inland county like its neighbour Kilkenny and like Kilkenny too it is mainly flat. The Slieve Bloom Mountains on its western rim divide it from Tipperary and Offaly as does the River Barrow on the east from Kildare and Carlow. On the south is Ossory and Kilkenny; much of south Laois is in the diocese of Ossory. There are many links between the two counties and many sympathies. The coalfield stretching on the south east angle into north east Kilkenny with its sturdy colliers has helped form the history of both areas. Yet football is the Laois game and hurling is Kilkenny's.

From the monastery of Aghaboe. St. Canice, the first Abbot came to Kilkenny to preach the Gospel and eventually to give his name to the town. Yet, when he felt death imminent, he returned to Aghaboe for the comfort and society of his peers, and he died there in 599. After his death in Aghaboe the people of Kilkenny came to claim his body, but the people of Aghaboe resisted them. In the middle of the quarrell over the coffin a second coffin suddenly appeared. The Kilkenny people took one and the Aghaboe the other, and no one knew which had St. Canice's body. The Aghaboe people believe Kilkenny got it, for since that day, Kilkenny has prospered and Aghaboe has not. Later St. Fergal was Abbot of Aghaboe. He was a geometer and astronomer of great distinction as well as a very holy man. He left Aghaboe in 739, became bishop of Salzburg and Patron of Carinthia and is much honoured in Bavaria to this day. He is a canonised saint of the church.
In Killeshin Saint Comghan came and founded a monastery there in the 5th century. A town grew up around it and a round tower alongside it. The tower is gone since 1705 for a farmer felt it might fall on his cattle! It was a very high tower, 103 ft. and perhaps the farmer's fears were justified. The town, once the chief town of the whole county is gone also, not a trace of it remains but what does remain is the beautiful ancient entrance to the monastery. one of the finest of our Romanesque doorways, 11th century in date; it is many years later than the original foundation.

This attractive doorway at Killeshin shows forth splendidly the features of the native Irish style. The human faces of the capitals, both bearded and shaven, have hair and moustaches that intertwine in and out in a fascinating manner. The overall motif is the chevron. Rising above all the collonades and orders a steep adhering pediment. There is an inscription too but now difficult to decipher. It seems to ask a prayer for Diarmuid King of Leinster, an earlier Diarmuid (1117) than the notorious Diarmuid na nGalI. Only two other such inscriptions in Gaelic are known in Ireland, one in Monaincha and one in Freshford.

It records also one Cellachan probably the mason artist of this masterpiece. There is a Killeshin hotel now in Portlaoise and this writer was delighted to see. at the reception desk a large painted back drop of the Killeshin door. The effect was very fine. Killeshin is very near Carlow about 2 miles distant.
Timahoe (about 6 miles to the east of Portlaoise) retains - only the round tower of the Monastery of St. Mochua. It is a fine tower with an unusual Romanesque doorway many feet off the ground and its ornaments like that of Killeshin consists of heads and beards and much entertwining of hair. Dr Leask thinks it was probably built by the builders of Killeshin or carved by members of the same school. The O'Mores were here in the 15th. century as they were in Dunamase and Lea and in many other of the important places in Laois.

The Rock of Dunamase (about 3 miles east of Portlaoise) stands 200 feet above the level ground and its site alone would make important any building on it. A Celtic fort here gave place to a castle of Mac. Murrough and this came into the hands of his son-in-law Strongbow and thereafter through his grand. daughter Isabelle into the hands of her husband William the Marshall, and then to his great-grand. daughter Eva. Eva's daughter Maud married Roger de Mortimer and from this union, according to Lewis Topographical Dictionary (1847) sprang the imperial house of Austria and the royal families of Britain, France, Prussia, Denmark, Holland, Sardinia and Saxony!! So Irish blood flowed in many distinguished streams, and hopefully manifested itself in many noble ways.
DeMortimer employed O'More to look after this castle and his lands at Dunamase. O'More did so, and appropriated many areas for himself; after all he was the original owner! In the following 200 years there was ceaseless fighting between O'More and the English but in 1538 O'More handed Dunamase over to the King (Henry VIII). In the Civil War the Cromwellian generals, Heuston and Reynolds, captured it and destroyed it. This once proud castle was made to bite the dust. The buildings now on top of this superb site are very puzzling, their uses difficult to understand, so unless the visitor is interested in military affairs it is perhaps more pleasant to enjoy the view and ignore "old forgotten far off things and battles long ago.

In Lea Castle, midway between Portarlington and Monastereven the remnants occur of another great historic castle, square in the plan with three-quarters round towers at the angles. It is again connected, perhaps built, by the Marshalls, again stormed and burnt by the O'Mores. In the Confederation times it was used as a mint, and destroyed by the Cromwellians in 1650. It has connections too with Silken Thomas and the O'Dempseys.

The post-Norman history of Laois is largely a history of the resistance (very successful often) of the O'More's to the English overlords. In the stirring episode of the capture of Black Tom Ormond, April 10 1600, near Ballyraggett, Owny O'More had a great triumph and bore off his distinguished captive to the castle of Gortnaclea, a castle of the MacGillapadraigs, just inside the Laois border. Later Black Tom was conveyed to Ballybrittas castle, property of the O'Dempseys and there he had to stay till June 12 when the terms of his enlargement were agreed. Some said it was £3,000, a staggering sum in those far off days.

The MacGillapadraigs, the once proud kings and princes of Ossory, could prove their royal lineage through 1000 turbulent years right back to Angus Ossraighe, the founder of the Kingdom of Ossory. This did not avail them anything when the Normans came. The MacGillapadraigs had been deadly enemies of MacMurrough before the invasion and no mercy was extended now. They were ruthlessly expelled from their patrimony on thg marriage of William Earl Marshall to Strongbow's daughter Isabel in 1192. William built his castle at Kilkenny on the very spot where the MacGillapadraigs had dwelt. The latter emigrated to the extremity of their kingdom many miles away under the shadow of the Slieve Blooms. History does not document their exodus or tell how they were received by their vassals at base. In time they consolidated their position, built castles to show their still remaining strength, twenty three at least, many of which still stand. The MacGillapadraigs changed their beautiful Irish name meaning the Sons of the Servant of Patrick to Fitzpatrick. Thus they are the only Irish "Fitz".

Laois and neighbouring county Offaly were "planted" in the reign of Mary of England (1553-58) and became Queen's County and King's County and the chief towns Maryborough (after the Queen) and Philipstown after her husband Philip II of Spain. These planters' names have mainly disappeared. Not so the ancient Irish names, the O'Dunns, O'Mores, O'Dempseys, Mac Cashins, O'Faelons, Delaneys, Fitzpatricks, Lalors etc. They have all survived the vigorous plantation of the 16th century and the later and terrible Cromwellian one. Truly native Irish resilience has been remarkable. "The indomitable Irishry" is W. B. Yeat's very fitting comment.

The dignified beauty of the towns of Laois would deserve a lengthier tribute than this essay can give -18th century in character with broad streets, quiet impressive buildings and often a branching off square, they hold their own and perhaps surpass the towns of any other county. Long may they survive as they are and keep at bay the hands of the developer.

In the immediate past and again today many Laois names have been and are impressive; Dr. Bartholemue Mosse founder of the Rotunda Hospital, John Keegan the poet, James Fintan Lalor patriot and land reformer, Fr. John O'Hanlon, historian and hagiographer, to mention just a few. William Canon Carrigan though a Kilkenny man lived for 20 years in Durrow as curate and parish priest. His writings on the Laois area are significant and a solid bases for historical research. A street in Durrow is called Carrigan Street in his honour. Dr. Bannon' of Durrow is today's President of the Old Laois Society. An indefatigable worker for the Irish language and culture, and a keen historian too, it is very fitting that he should be at the top of this revived society. Sean J. White also from Durrow often heard on radio and his articles often read in the daily news is a fine Laois historian. His brother, Archbishop Thomas White, Apostolic Nuncio to Rwanda, Africa, is a distinguished son of the Church of whom Durrow and all Laois have every reason to be proud. Helen Roe, once County Librarian of Laois is the only woman in this arbitary and very personal list. She has held the prestigeous office of President of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, an office once held by Laois born Dr. Joseph Raftrey of the National Museum.
Helen Roe is a fine delineator and acute observer of her county's history and archaeology, it will be a long time before Laois or any other county can produce her equal, male or female.

References:
Lewis Topographical Dictionary (1847)
William Canon Carrigan History and antiquities of the Diocese of Ossory (1905)
H. G. Leask Irish churches and Monastic buildings (1958).
Peter Harbison National Monuments of Ireland (1970).

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