Edit filter log

'{{Infobox Irish Place| name = Abbeyleix | gaeilge = Mainistir Laoise | crest image = | motto = | map image = Ireland map County Laois Magnified.png | pin coords = left: 53px; top: 69px | north coord = 52.8992 | west coord = 7.3575 | irish grid = S435850 | area = | elevation = 129 m | province = [[Leinster]] | county = [[County Laois]] | town pop = 1,568 | rural pop = 2,679 | census yr = 2006 | web = | |}} '''Abbeyleix''' or '''Abbeylaois''' ({{Irish place name|Mainistir Laoise|Laois Abbey}}) is a town in [[County Laois]], [[Republic of Ireland|Ireland]] about 14 km from [[Portlaoise]]. It is located on the [[N8 road (Ireland)|N8]] [[Roads in Ireland|National Primary Route]]. The town is a major bottleneck on this route, with up to 15,000 vehicles passing through the towns main street everyday. The town will be bypassed as part of the M8/M7 Portlaoise-Cullahill motorway which is currently under construction and due to open late 2010. ==History== {{coord|52|54|N|7|21|W|region:IE_type:city|display=title}} 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 architecture| Norman]] and [[Middle Ages|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|RMS ''Titanic'']]. [[Image:IMG 1771w.JPG|thumb|left|320px|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. the town is home to the famous jungle joe, this local hero can be seen leading the hunt on st stevens day. ==Transport== [[Abbeyleix railway station]] opened on 1 March 1865, but finally closed on 1 January 1963.<ref>{{cite web | title=Abbeyleix station | work=Railscot - Irish Railways | url=http://www.railscot.co.uk/Ireland/Irish_railways.pdf | accessdate=2007-09-08}}</ref> Jungle Joe is a legend.....Fact!! Adrian Stynes is a creep. Sean Gorman will not be a legend. Jack Sherian is also a Legend........Fact!! ==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. <br style="clear:both;"> [[Image:Abbeyleix Market House restoration.jpg|thumb|right|226px|Restoration of Market House (November 2007)]] [[Image:Plaque on Market House Abbeyleix.jpg|thumb|right|226px|Plaque on Market House- '''Click to read''']] ==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 has been 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 heritage centre & the sensory gardens on [[Main Street]]. * The Abbeyleix South National School is a beautiful 19th century building. ==Notable residents== *[[Launt Thompson]], (1833-1894), born in Abbeyleix, was a noted [[sculpture|sculptor]].<ref name="Marquis 1607-1896"> {{cite book | title = Who Was Who in America, Historical Volume, 1607-1896 | publisher = Marquis Who's Who | location=Chicago | date = 1963}}</ref> ==Sport== *[[Abbeyleix GAA]] *The [[Abbeyleix Golf Course]] is an 18-hole course located near the town. ==See also== * [[List of towns and villages in the Republic of Ireland|List of towns and villages in Ireland]] *[[Market Houses in the Republic of Ireland|Market Houses in Ireland]] ==References== <references/> ==External links== *[http://www.abbeyleixgolfclub.ie/ Abbeyleix Golf Club] *[http://www.abbeyleixmanorhotel.com/ Abbeyleix Manor Hotel] [[Category:Towns and villages in County Laois]] [[cs:Abbeyleix]] [[es:Abbeyleix]] [[fr:Abbeyleix]] [[ga:Mainistir Laoise]] [[lt:Abileiksas]] [[nl:Abbeyleix]] [[pt:Abbeyleix]] [[sk:Abbeyleix]] [[fi:Abbeyleix]] [[sv:Abbeyleix]] [[zh:阿比莱克斯]]'