Laois County Council wishes to advise of the intention & decision to close the following road at the following location:
Road: L-21208-0, Market Square/Main Street, Portlaoise.
From a point: Junction with N80, Market Sq Roundabout. (53.033736, -7.302400)
To a point: Junction with Church St (53.034035, -7.300128)
ON and/or BETWEEN the following dates & times
04/05/2021 08:00:00 and 07/05/2021 18:00:00
Road closed for 24 hours each day.
For the purposes of Road resurfacing, footpath works, drainage works and installation of flat top ramp and service ducting.
Alternative routes are outlined on the attached map.
The technical issues with our Litter Hotline have now been resolved.
If you would like to report an issue of illegal dumping/littering, please call our confidential litter hotline on 𝟭𝟴𝟬𝟬 𝟯𝟮 𝟯𝟮 𝟯𝟬 with the details, including the location of where the offence occurred, to assist us in our investigation.
The Government has launched a ‘Be Summer Ready’ leaflet, containing information on being prepared and staying safe during these summer months, for the individual, family, home, farm, business and school.
This booklet is part of the Government of Ireland initiative to provide information to the general public on issues which may affect them during the summer months in Ireland. The booklet complements a long standing and very successful “Be Winter Ready” public information campaign.
During the summer months, Ireland’s waterways and beaches become very popular. More people visit the countryside, engage in outdoor pursuits, visit family farms or take holidays abroad. With these activities
there are associated risks and this booklet provides information on these.
In addition, people die in Ireland in drowning accidents, farm accidents, on our roads or succumb to summer related illnesses. Wildfires are a more common occurrence in this period.
The booklet is published by the Office of Emergency Planning, on behalf of the Government Task Force on Emergency Planning. There is more information and useful links on website: www.gov.ie/summerready
At the beginning of February, we kicked off our #SplashIntoSpringChallenge. As part of our Keep Well campaign, our challenge was something that was simple, safe and most importantly fun! Thanks so much to everyone who took part and congratulations to the winners of a Laois Gift Card. Take a minute to look at our video, it will definitely brighten your day to see all these happy smiling (and sometimes muddy!) faces. Special mention to our Cathaoirleach Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald and to Cllr John King for taking part and spreading the message. Take positive steps.
At the beginning of February, we kicked off our #SplashIntoSpringChallenge. As part of our Keep Well campaign, our challenge was something that was simple, safe and most importantly fun! Thanks so much to everyone who took part and congratulations to the winners of a Laois Gift Card. Take a minute to look at our video, it will definitely brighten your day to see all these happy smiling (and sometimes muddy!) faces. Special mention to our Cathaoirleach Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald and to Cllr John King for taking part and spreading the message. Take positive steps.
At the beginning of February, we kicked off our #SplashIntoSpringChallenge. As part of our Keep Well campaign, our challenge was something that was simple, safe and most importantly fun! Thanks so much to everyone who took part and congratulations to the winners of a Laois Gift Card. Take a minute to look at our video, it will definitely brighten your day to see all these happy smiling (and sometimes muddy!) faces. Special mention to our Cathaoirleach Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald and to Cllr John King for taking part and spreading the message. Take positive steps.
The archive collection of Portarlington historian Ronnie Mathews has been acquired by Laois County Council for the people of the county. Mathews, a well-known historian and author of several books on Portarlington, had collected documents, maps and artefacts relating to the town over his whole life, and the collection also includes some items collected by his father Jack Mathews Snr and Grandfather George Mathews. The Mathews family ran a bakery in Portarlington for many years, and the collection includes ledgers and account books from that business, which will shed a fascinating light on many aspects of life in Portarlington in the past.
Among the interesting artefacts are a series of glass negative photograph slides showing all aspects of Irish life dating from around 1910, a cannon ball reputed to be from the site of Lea Castle outside Portarlington, and a hand painted chess board with the crest of the Dawson family of Emo Court. The documents include a map of Patrick Street dated 1889 and a large collection of postcards by Wynne of Portarlington, also showing Maryborough Mountmellick, Monasterevin and more.
Pictured at the presentation of the Ronnie Mathews Collection to Laois County Council John Mulholland, CE Laois County Council, Bernie Foran Laois County Librarian, Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council Catherine Fitzgerald, Tim Mathews and Catherine Casey Laois Heritage Officer. Pictured artefacts include a frame of 100 year old local postcards from circa 1910, a frame of billheads circa 1900 from Portarlington and a Lea Castle cannonball. Photo Dominic Reddin.
Welcoming the acquisition, Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald, Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council said “Laois County Council is so grateful to the Mathews family for their dedication to collecting and keeping safe this wonderful archive which tells us so much about life in Laois and in Portarlington in particular, in days gone by. It will be a wonderful resource for researchers and a great way to honour the memory of Ronnie Mathews”.
Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald Cathaoirleach of Laois County Council pictured with a chessboard painted in oils by Lord Arlington from Emo Estate, presented to Laois County Council as part of the Ronnie Mathews Collection. Photo Dominic Reddin.
Presenting the collection to Laois County Council this week, Tim Mathews, Ronnie’s son, said “My dad had been collecting and researching for over 50 years, and it was a dream of his to establish a museum in Portarlington. He loved the town and all that came with it, like his Grandad George who made the 1920s movie films , and his father Jack snr, who had a museum on the main street in 1966 to commemorate 100 years of family business in the town. On behalf of the family we are honoured to have Ronnie remembered in this way and thank everyone involved in making this happen”.
Creative Ireland Laois Support
The material will now be carefully archived and catalogued by the Laois County Library Service, and arrangements made for any necessary conservation. Bernie Foran, County Librarian for Laois said “We are delighted to be acquiring this very valuable collection of archival material and artefacts for the people of Laois. Funding has been made available through the Creative Ireland Programme for essential archiving and cataloguing work, as we prepare the material to be made available for research and for future display. The theme of the Creative Ireland programme in Laois is “Sense of Place” and we aim to create a county in which culture and creativity are recognised as integral to life with opportunities for everyone in the county to become involved in creativity and culture. The Ronnie Mathews Collection is a perfect example of how cultural material can assist in developing and understanding our sense of place.”
The late Ronnie Mathews, speaking at the launch of his book “Portarlington , The Old Town” in Portarlington during Heritage Week 2012. Photo: Michael Scully
Heritage-Led Regeneration
The acquisition of the Ronnie Mathews Collection follows the announcement of funding through the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund for conservation and regeneration of the historic Market Square in Portarlington, with plans for the conservation and reuse of the Market House in the square, which has been leased by Laois County Council
Chief Executive of Laois County Council John Mulholland said “The heritage of Portarlington and its historic Market House and Market Square are vital parts of the story of the town. This collection will assist us in telling and interpreting the story of Portarlington and I greatly welcome the acquisition of the Ronnie Mathews Collection, which has a countywide and indeed national significance”
The Local Authority Heritage Officer Network has launched a campaign to get people connected with nature, as part of the Government’s “Keep Well” Campaign.
A free booklet “Gardening for Biodiversity” has been produced and is available from all Local Authority Heritage Officers
GIY, in partnership with Healthy Ireland and public libraries will distribute 50,000 free food growing kits as part of a new ‘Grow it Forward’ initiative.
Recipients are asked to use the kits to share the experience with ten people, enabling half a million people across Ireland to enjoy the wide range of benefits that come from growing food at home.
As part of the Government’s Keep Well programme, this campaign is designed to help the nation eat well by inspiring and supporting people to grow some of their own food at home while connecting with friends and family to join them.
Let’s get growing, email your contact details (including postal address) to mountmellicklibrary@laoiscoco.ie or call 057-8644572 for your free packs!
Forever Young is a multi-phase art project with older people inspiring artists. Celebrate special memories in your life through sharing them. Free specially designed creative writing packs available from Dunamaise Arts Centre throughout April.
