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Town in counties Laois and Offaly, Ireland
Photo: GerryGunnigan, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Portarlington is a town in County Laois, with a population of 9300 in 2022. Locally it's referred to as "Port", but so too is nearby Portlaoise, so that term isn't used here. The River Barrow flows through town and forms the county boundary, with most of Portarlington east in County Laois, but a section of it west in County Offaly.
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Grand neo-classical mansion, designed by Gandon in 1790 but construction took another 70 years. Then at last the Earls of Portarlington could enjoy it and entertain in glittering style, but these were the final halcyon days of the Protestant ascendancy. Arms Quarterly 1st & 4th, Barry nebuly of six Argent and Gules, over all a Bend engrailed Azure... (and so on, at some length) somehow didn't enthrall an independent Republic of Ireland. The family left, and the house lay empty until 1930, then was a Jesuit college until 1969. Not wishing to sully their pious gaze with Grecian nymphs, the Jesuits chucked the statues in the lake. The estate was bought by Major Cholmeley Harrison, who restored the house, fished out the statues and opened the gardens to the public. House and gardens are now curated by the Office of Public Works, but the house is closed for restoration until summer 2024.
Good Indian choice, tasty and not too heavy.
Tina's
Original Chinese restaurant in town, busy when the pubs close.
Cosy friendly pub serving good food.
A friendly cafe serving good simple food.
Good friendly place, worth a visit even if you're not waiting on a train.
Pint of Port
Good trad pub with TV sport.
The Coach House
Pub and bistro with live music Saturdays.
Tom's
Trad pub good for a laugh.
Trad pub with decent enough Guinness.
Another all lads pub.
Lively pub has TV sport, pub grub and live music.
Plush modern hotel with spa and golf, gets great reviews for comfort and service.
Trains from Dublin Heuston, Galway, Ballina (County Mayo) and Westport (Ireland) in County Mayo run hourly to Portarlington.
Read in the guideThe town is compact, but you might need a car or transportation to see areas outside the town centre.
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