Region
County Laois
Base in Portlaoise for 1–2 nights; use a car for the Slieve Bloom and Dunamase, which have no public transport.
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Key facts · Ireland
- Best months
- Apr–May, Sep
- Currency
- Euro (EUR)
- Language
- English everywhere
- Plugs
- G · 230 V
- Time zone
- GMT in winter
Rules in force · 10Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window…
- Europe ↗Non-EU visitors get 90 days in any rolling 180-day window, counted across all 29 Schengen states together — not per country; the Entry/Exit System now logs each crossing, so an overstay is detected automatically.
- Europe ↗On the first Schengen entry since EES began, non-EU travellers give four fingerprints and a face photo at the border instead of a passport stamp; there is nothing to apply for or pay in advance.
- Britain and Ireland ↗Neither the UK nor Ireland is part of Schengen: days spent here do not count towards the 90/180-day Schengen limit, and a Schengen visa does not admit you to either country.
- Britain and Ireland ↗The island of Ireland runs on two currencies: euro in the Republic, pound sterling in Northern Ireland and Great Britain. Carry a card that pays in both without fees.
- Britain and Ireland ↗Both islands drive on the left. Speed limits are in miles per hour in the UK (including Northern Ireland) and in kilometres per hour in the Republic of Ireland.
- Ireland ↗Ireland is in the EU but not in the Schengen area; it sets its own entry rules and a Schengen visa is not valid for Ireland. Check Irish immigration for your passport.
- Ireland ↗Ireland and the UK form the Common Travel Area, with no routine checks on the land border. Visitors who are not Irish or British must still meet UK rules (including the UK ETA where it applies) to enter Northern Ireland.
- Ireland ↗Driving is on the left; rural roads are narrow with hedges and few passing places.
- East Coast and Midlands ↗A TFI Leap card or contactless taps work on Dublin commuter trains, DART and city buses; buy inter-city tickets online in advance.
- East Coast and Midlands ↗Drive on the left; motorways radiate from Dublin and the M50 ring road is tolled.
Laois is an inland county about an hour from Dublin by train or the M7, so it works as a one-night break on a Dublin–Cork or Dublin–Limerick run rather than a destination on its own. Portlaoise is the transport hub and the only place with a real choice of beds and bars; Portarlington and Abbeyleix are smaller bases. The Rock of Dunamase and the Slieve Bloom trailheads have no public transport, so those two need wheels; check local bus and taxi options for the Abbeyleix bog boardwalk.
Where to sleep
Sleep base
- PortarlingtonCity guide
Rail junction on the Dublin–Galway and Dublin–Cork lines; quieter.
Best May–Sep
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Day trip
- MountmellickCity guide
Quaker industrial history; on the Waterford–Athlone bus.
Best May–Sep
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Plan the nights
How to split the nights, day-trips and what to do with your bags
Open Plan the nightsClose Plan the nights3 partsNights · Day-trips · Bags
Night sequences
- 1 nights
- Portlaoise 1 night; Rock of Dunamase and Abbeyleix bog by car
- 2 nights
- Portlaoise 2 nights; Dunamase and Abbeyleix on one day, Slieve Bloom or Emo Court on the other
- Trying to see Dunamase, the Slieve Bloom and Abbeyleix in one day without a car does not work — the buses do not connect them.
- Mountrath was a bottleneck on the Dublin–Limerick road until bypassed in 2010; the old road is slow, use the M7.
Day-trips door to door
| To | From | Door-to-door p50 | Last return | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rock of Dunamase | Portlaoise | min | unknown | Ruin on a rock outcrop east of Portlaoise; no public transport, drive or taxi. |
| Slieve Bloom Mountains | Portlaoise | min | unknown | Trailheads have no bus service; check weather before walking. |
| Abbeyleix bog boardwalk | Portlaoise | min | unknown | 3.5 km (2.2 mi) boardwalk; check opening, access and bus or taxi options locally.2.2 mi (3.5 km) boardwalk; check opening, access and bus or taxi options locally. |
Bags between cities
No luggage forwarding in the county; carry bags or leave them at your Portlaoise hotel.
When to go
Months and weather
Open When to goClose When to go2 partsSeasons · Climate
Seasons at a glance
Pick a month to see where to go.
Show all 12 months, country by countryHide the 12-month table
| Country | JJan | FFeb | MMar | AApr | MMay | JJun | JJul | AAug | SSep | OOct | NNov | DDec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portlaoise | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | × | × |
| Portarlington | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | × | × |
| Abbeyleix | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | × | × |
| Mountrath | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | × | × |
| Mountmellick | × | × | ok | ok | go | go | go | go | go | ok | × | × |
| East Coast and Midlands (country-wide) | ok | ok | ok | go | go | ok | ok | ok | go | ok | ok | ok |
Computed from each country’s own data; hover a country name for the source. Advisory countries are left out.
Climate strip
| Zone | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| County LaoisInland midlands, Slieve Bloom uplands to the north-west | cool | cool | ok | best | best | ok | ok | ok | best | ok | cool | cool |
- County Laois
- Inland and wetter than the east coast; upland bogs are exposed to wind and rain in any month. Check the forecast before a Slieve Bloom walk.
May to September gives the longest days; the garden festival runs in early June.
Getting in and passes
Arrival times and regional passes
Open Getting in and passesClose Getting in and passes2 partsGet in · Passes
Get in
| From | To | How | p50 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dublin Heuston | Portarlington / Portlaoise | Irish Rail intercity train | ~1 h | Hourly service via Sallins, Newbridge, Kildare and Monasterevin; continues to Cork, Limerick, Galway or Mayo. |
| Dublin Airport | Portlaoise | Dublin Coach N7 | ~1 h 30 | Runs about every 2 hours via Kildare; from the city centre change at Kildare. |
| Waterford | Portlaoise / Mountmellick | Bus Éireann 73 | ~3 h | Twice a day via Thomastown, Kilkenny, Carlow and Stradbally; continues to Tullamore and Athlone. |
| Dublin | Portlaoise | Car via N7 / M7 | ~1 h | The straightforward option if you plan to see Dunamase or the Slieve Bloom. |
Regional passes
Eat and move on
Regional food and where to go next
Open Eat and move onClose Eat and move on2 partsFood · Go next
Regional food
| Dish | Where | Timing / trap |
|---|---|---|
| Indian and steakhouse dinners | Portlaoise | The county town has the widest choice; book on weekend evenings. |
| Pub bistro meals | Portarlington | Bar food with table service; tipping 10–15% is normal. |
| Hotel dining | Durrow (south of Abbeyleix) and Roundwood House above Mountrath | The county's better kitchens are in country-house hotels; reserve ahead. |
Go next
East Coast and Midlands
Back to the region hub
Plan the rest of the midlands and east coast.
County Kildare
plannedTrain west from Portlaoise, ~20–30 min to Kildare town
Horse country and Maynooth, on the same rail line.
County Meath
plannedTrain or car via Dublin, ~2 h
Brú na Bóinne and the Boyne valley.
County Wicklow
plannedCar via M7 / M50, ~1 h 30
Mountains and Glendalough; pairs with a Dublin stay.
County Louth
plannedCar via M7 / M50 / M1, ~2 h
North-east coast and the Boyne battlefield.
Planning aids
Built from this guide's own data
Open Planning aidsClose Planning aids2 partsIn numbers · Going in…
Region in numbers
- Where to sleep
- 2 bases
- Nights suggested
- 1–2 nights
- Ways in
- 4 listed
- Best months
- Apr, May, Sep
Going in…
Pick a month for the weather in each zone of the region, plus the country-wide rating and holidays.
Pick a month.
Deep dive
Photos, reading and every source
Open Deep diveClose Deep dive1 partSources
Sources
Ask about County Laois
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