Things to Do in Portlaoise, Co. Laois: A Local Guide

The best things to do in Portlaoise start with the Rock of Dunamase, a ruined Norman fortress on a rocky hilltop just outside town, and spread out from there into woodland walks, a working arts centre, a craft brewery and some of the most underrated heritage in the Midlands. It is a county town with the Slieve Bloom Mountains on one side and Ireland's Ancient East on the other, which makes it a better base than people give it credit for.

Portlaoise sits right on the M7, an hour from Dublin and well connected by train, so you can do it as a day out or use it as the launch pad for a longer Laois trip. Here is what is genuinely worth your time, with a few honestly nearby spots to round out the day.

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What are the must-see things to do in Portlaoise?

The Rock of Dunamase

This is the one to lead with. The Rock of Dunamase is a hilltop ruin a few kilometres east of town on the N80 toward Stradbally, where a 12th-century castle was raised on the site of an earlier fort and later slighted by Cromwell's forces. It is free, open all year and effectively daylight hours, with no ticket office to slow you down.

Climb to the top and you get one of the best views in the county, out over the plains toward the Slieve Blooms. The paths turn rocky and steep near the summit, so wear something with grip rather than your good shoes, and it is more than manageable in under an hour at a relaxed pace. Laois County Council has produced a free audio guide for the site, available on the usual podcast apps, which is worth queuing up before you set off to make sense of the layers of history packed into the ruin.

Dunamaise Arts Centre

On Church Street in the town centre, the Dunamaise Arts Centre is the cultural anchor: a 240-seat theatre, a cinema, a gallery and a cafe under one roof. The programme runs across theatre, music, dance, comedy, film and the annual pantomime, so on any given week there is usually something on for an evening out.

The gallery exhibitions rotate and are free to walk in and see, which makes it an easy stop even if you are not booking a show. Check the listings before you travel, because the better gigs and touring productions sell out ahead of the night.

Togher Woods

For a walk close to town, Togher Woods is a broadleaf woodland on the edge of Portlaoise with a main loop of around 40 minutes. It is flat, family-friendly and good for a morning leg-stretch or a buggy walk without committing to a mountain.

Spring brings the woodland flowers and autumn brings the colour, so those are the seasons to time it for if you can. Bring boots after rain, because the lower paths hold the wet.

Stradbally Woodland Garden

A short drive east at Stradbally, the village's woodland garden is free to explore and an easy, pretty stroll if you want something gentler than a mountain walk. It pairs well with a look around the heritage village itself, the same Stradbally that hosts the Electric Picnic each summer.

It is an undemanding stop rather than a half-day, so treat it as the green half of a day that takes in the Rock of Dunamase on the way out or back, since both sit on the N80 between the two towns.

What are the lesser-known corners of Portlaoise and Laois?

Plenty of the good stuff sits just outside the town, and most of it is quiet enough that you will have it largely to yourself.

• Emo Court: A grand neoclassical house and demesne north of Portlaoise, run by the OPW, with formal gardens, a lakeside walk and a great avenue of redwoods. The parkland is open year-round and free to wander; guided house tours run in the summer season.
• Timahoe Round Tower: A leaning 12th-century round tower with a rare and beautifully carved Romanesque doorway, in the village of Timahoe about ten minutes south. It is free, open access and one of the finest of its kind in the country.
• Ballykilcavan Brewery: A farm brewery on a 300-year-old family estate near Stradbally, brewing with barley grown on the land. They run tours and tastings on set days, so it is a proper afternoon out rather than a quick pint. Book ahead.
• Fort Protector: The remains of the 16th-century fort that the town grew up around, right in the centre. It is a quick stop, but it explains why Portlaoise is laid out the way it is.

Where can you eat and drink in Portlaoise?

The town has a solid spread of restaurants, cafes and pubs without being precious about it. For food, the independent cafes around the centre do a good lunch, and the town's restaurants cover contemporary Irish cooking through to the usual reliable options for an evening meal. It is compact enough that you can park once and do the whole lot on foot.

For a pint with character, look to the older pubs in the town centre and out toward the villages, where the likes of the Fisherman's Thatched Inn keep the traditional end of things going. If you want to drink local, Ballykilcavan's beers turn up on bars around the county, and a brewery visit out at the family estate is the way to do it at source. The Dunamaise Arts Centre cafe is a handy daytime stop too if you are timing a show or an exhibition.

How do you make a day of it near Portlaoise?

Portlaoise works best when you treat it as a base. West of town, the Slieve Bloom Mountains rise up between Laois and Offaly, with looped walks, waterfalls and the Slieve Bloom Way for anyone who wants a serious day on the hills. Our guide to the best hiking trails in Laois maps out where to start.

For the full county picture, including Abbeyleix, Durrow and the rest, the Laois county guide rounds it all up. And if you are touring the Midlands, neighbouring Tullamore in Offaly is a short hop west for a second town day.

Getting to Portlaoise

Portlaoise is on the M7, about an hour southwest of Dublin and well signed from every direction. There is plenty of parking in and around the town centre.

By rail, it sits on the main Dublin to Cork and Dublin to Limerick lines, with frequent Irish Rail services from Heuston, so you can leave the car at home and still reach the Rock of Dunamase by a short taxi or local bus once you arrive. Bus Eireann and local services connect the town to the surrounding villages.

What's on in Portlaoise and Laois?

The county's biggest fixture is Electric Picnic, which takes over Stradbally Hall just east of Portlaoise in late August (28 to 30 August in 2026) and is one of the largest festivals in the country. Portlaoise fills up around it, so book accommodation early if you are going.

Through the year, the Dunamaise Arts Centre carries the cultural calendar with its rolling programme of shows, and the town runs seasonal events and markets in the centre. Check the official listings before you travel, as dates and lineups firm up closer to the time.

Things to do in Portlaoise FAQ

Is the Rock of Dunamase free to visit?
Yes. The Rock of Dunamase is free, open all year and accessible during daylight hours, with no admission fee or ticket office. Wear sturdy footwear for the steep upper paths.

How far is Portlaoise from Dublin?
About an hour by car on the M7, or a frequent direct train from Dublin Heuston on the Cork and Limerick lines.

What is Portlaoise best known for?
For the Rock of Dunamase, for being the gateway to the Slieve Bloom Mountains, and as the nearest town to Stradbally Hall, home of the Electric Picnic festival.

Is Portlaoise worth visiting for a day?
Yes. You can pair the Rock of Dunamase, Togher Woods and the Dunamaise Arts Centre with a meal in town, then add Emo Court or Timahoe Round Tower if you have the afternoon.

For more across the region, see the official Discover Ireland Laois pages, the Laois County Council heritage trail, and Heritage Ireland on Emo Court.

More great Irish days out

Heading further afield? A couple of Ireland's most-booked experiences, all an easy trip from Leinster:

Guinness Storehouse, Dublin. The St James's Gate tour finishes with a pint in the Gravity Bar and its rooftop views over the city. Book a time slot ahead, it sells out at weekends.

Cliffs of Moher day tour from Dublin. A full day out to the Atlantic coast and the Burren, with Galway on the way. A good one-off big day without the driving.

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Where to stay in Portlaoise

Making a night of it? Browse hotels, guesthouses and places to stay in Portlaoise:

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