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food-drink · Tuesday 14 July 2026 · Various 
Portarlington French Festival
At Portarlington Town · Portarlington, Co. Laois
At Portarlington Town · Portarlington, Co. Laois
Every July, Portarlington does something no other Irish midlands town can pull off - it goes French. The Festival Français de Portarlington has been running since 1977, rooted in a genuinely remarkable piece of local history: in the 17th century this town was known as the Paris of the Midlands, a settlement where French Huguenot refugees spoke their own language in the streets and in church services well into the 1820s. The festival is the town’s annual reckoning with that heritage, drawing visitors from across Laois and beyond for a long summer weekend that feels nothing like the usual parish fête.
The festival runs across three days, starting on 14 July - Bastille Day itself - and running through to 16 July. The programme spans arts, theatre, street entertainment, music and dance, all with a distinctly French flavour. An artisan food market sees local producers lean into the theme with French-style fare. The highlight for many is the World Snail Eating Competition, which attracts very enthusiastic competitors and entertained spectators in equal measure. Sports events and water sports also feature across the weekend. The town is decorated with French and Irish colours throughout, and St Paul’s French Church on French Church Street - consecrated in 1694 and still standing - is a short walk from the centre if you want to take in the Huguenot legacy properly.
Portarlington sits roughly halfway between Dublin and Athlone. By road, take the M7 motorway west from Dublin and exit at Junction 14; the town is about 80 kilometres from the city centre. Portarlington railway station is a main-line junction on the Dublin Heuston to Cork, Galway and Limerick routes, so you can arrive by train and walk into the festival in minutes. Irish Rail runs regular services from Heuston. Parking in the town centre is on-street and in local car parks; the train is the easier option on a busy festival weekend.
The festival is a full reason to stay the day or the whole weekend. The surrounding area rewards a slower visit - Emo Court, the stunning 18th-century mansion to the south-east, is well worth the short drive. There is more to see in Portarlington and across Co. Laois.
Heading to Portarlington Town in Portarlington? Laois has plenty more to see. Read the Portarlington area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.