← All events
heritage · Saturday 15 August 2026 · Various 
National Heritage Week 2026
At Multiple locations across County Laois · County-wide, Co. Laois
At Multiple locations across County Laois · County-wide, Co. Laois
National Heritage Week 2026 runs from 15 to 23 August across County Laois, with this year’s theme “Heritage at Risk” asking what happens to old buildings, ancient sites, traditional crafts and living folklore when nobody steps in to protect them. Laois has been a strong participant in recent years; the county hosted 64 events in 2025, a 39% increase on the year before. Whether the draw is a tour of a medieval ruin, a talk on local archaeology, or watching a forgotten craft done by hand, Heritage Week is one of the few occasions when these experiences come free and in abundance.
Events are organised at community level, so the Laois programme takes shape from whoever in the county has something worth sharing. In previous years it has included a tour of the Round Tower at Timahoe - one of Ireland’s best-preserved early Christian towers - and a “History of Laois in 100 Objects” talk covering the county from prehistory to the present. Expect guided walks at archaeological and historic sites, craft demonstrations, talks in local libraries and heritage centres, and self-guided trails. Most events are free and open to all ages; workshops and guided tours with limited places typically ask you to register in advance. The full Laois programme appears on heritageweek.ie as organisers submit their events in the weeks before August.
Portlaoise is the county town and main transport hub, about one hour from Dublin on the M7. Irish Rail runs direct services from Heuston, with the journey taking around an hour. Many Heritage Week events are spread across the county, so a car is useful for sites outside town. Parking in Portlaoise is paid on weekdays and generally free on Sundays.
The Rock of Dunamase - a ruined castle on a limestone outcrop a few kilometres east of the town - is one of the most dramatic viewpoints in the midlands and costs nothing to visit. There is more to see in Portlaoise and across Co. Laois.
Heading to Multiple locations across County Laois? Laois has plenty more to see. Browse the area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.