Local Area
Visitor cards available allowing discounts to several Sites in our surrounding area
Laois once known as The Queens county and our adjoining county Offaly as the Kings County. Our county town of Portlaoise was then called Maryborough. You too can have a royal time when you spend your holiday in our beautiful County.Adjoining counties are Kildare,Offaly,Tipperary, Carlow and Kilkenny.
Emo village, small, rural, unspoiled is approximately 0.5 kilometers from us with shop, post office, pub, public phone, hairdresser, reflexologist,craft shop at week-end ,2 churches and a school. Emo forest and Emo estate gardens open free of charge during daylight hours just 0.5kms. from Hillview farm .also Emo forest way marked walks 3.5kms.-7kms.in length.
The entrance to Emo woodlands withway marked walks and several hundred acres of trees is in the village . Emo Court is within walking distance for the energetic person otherwise bring your car . Enjoy the beautiful walks and gardens free of charge during daylight hours all year round.Why not have a picnic and enjoy the relaxing surroundings or visit the tea-rooms for some home made goodies. There is a wide range of trees some at least a couple of hundred years old in Emo Court Gardens, a lake with fish, swans, ducks etc.and beautiful walks, wild deer, red squirrels,hares and a wide variety of flora and fauna.
Architecture and Buildings in our local area of historical and architectural interest include Emo Court 1790, Coolbanagher Gandon Church, The Gandon Inn all designed by the renowned architect James Gandon who also designed The Four Courts and Custom House in Dublin. Our village church is Gothic in style and houses a life size Carrera marble statue of Lady Portarlington (of Emo Court)and almost a dozen beautiful old stained glass windows and adjoining Cemetry (graveyard)with some fine examples of the famous Celtic Cross.
Museums in our county for example, Abbeyleix Heritage House (Titanic connections) The Mountmellick Lace collection Huguenot in origin., Donaghmore Famine Workhouse Museum, the unique Fly Fishing & Game Museum in Attanagh and Steam Museum in Stradbally. The historic Rock of Dunamasce with the remains of an Iron Age ring fort is a sight not to be missed.
Portlaoise our county town is 9km, Mountmellick and Portarlington are 8 km from us. We are an ideal location for touring the Midlands of Ireland.
Activities Golf there are seven 18 hole golf courses in Laois, green fees are reasonably priced with driving range 3 kms.from hillview.New public swimming pools in Portlaoise and Portarlington, Fishing, boating, Game fishing and coarse fishing at the "Laois angling centre" with equipment rental if required, ten pin bowling, crazy golf,paint balling, forest walks, horse riding, pony trecking, hill walking ,cycling ,visiting historical sites and shopping or a relaxing visit to our multiplex cinema or Dunamasce Theatre.
A registered tour guide available to take you around on half day or full day trips in your own car. Why not a trip on the bog train of Offaly the only one of its kind in Europe, Offaly is our adjoining county.
For the children we have modern newly developed public playgrounds in Portlaoise, Portarlington, Abbeyleix heritage town,Stradbally and Mountrath,a public skate park in Portlaoise,public swimming pools refurbished in 2007 in Portlaoise and Portarlington. On the wet day indoor entertainment at the Roll N Bowl Centre Portlaoise also crazy golf. Tearaways childrens entertainment centre alongside the Rathdowney discount shopping complex ensures an entertaining venture for children.Also a visit to our modern multiplex cinema in Portlaoise is a very enjoyable experience for child or adult.
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