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heritage · Saturday 15 August 2026 · Various 
Tour of the Malthouse, Stradbally
At The Malthouse · Stradbally, Co. Laois
At The Malthouse · Stradbally, Co. Laois
The Malthouse in Stradbally is one of those places that takes a moment to sink in. A working flour mill and malt house from the 19th century, with corn milling recorded on the site as far back as 1594, it has been quietly transformed over the past three decades into a private residence and cultural venue by its owner, Glen Bradshaw. National Heritage Week gives the public a rare chance to step inside and see how a handsome piece of industrial architecture has been given a second life - without stripping away what made it interesting in the first place. This is a good outing for anyone who likes old buildings with a genuine story, or who wants to understand what adaptive reuse actually looks like when it is done with patience and care.
The Malthouse sits at the west end of Stradbally and was once the largest maltings in Co. Laois, operating under Minch Norton & Co. The oldest mill buildings on the site date from 1732, with the malting kilns added around 1890. The tour takes in the restored structure - the kilns, the mill fabric, the manager’s house - and shows how a building that had fallen out of commercial use has been repurposed for music performances, art exhibitions, fashion shows and community gatherings. Bradshaw’s restoration work was recognised nationally when the Malthouse became the first Laois finalist in the Castleacre Historic Houses of Ireland Heritage Award, judged on preservation, innovation and community engagement. The building is a member of Historic Houses of Ireland. Expect a personal, guided look at the detail of the restoration alongside the building’s industrial history.
Stradbally is a compact market town in the midlands of Laois, about 13 km from Portlaoise. By road it sits on the R425, reached easily from the M7 motorway - exit at junction 17 and follow signs through Monasterevin or pick up the R445 from Portlaoise. There is no regular bus service to Stradbally village itself, so a car is the practical option for most visitors. Parking in the village is informal and generally straightforward; the Malthouse is at the west end of the main street.
Stradbally punches well above its size during Heritage Week. Guided tours of Stradbally Hall - a Georgian mansion home to the Cosby family since 1620 - run the same week, as do free tours of the 15th-century Franciscan Abbey, which also housed a mill at one stage and sits close to the Laois Cricket Club grounds. There is more to see in Stradbally and across Co. Laois.
Heading to The Malthouse in Stradbally? Laois has plenty more to see. Read the Stradbally area guide, find what else is on, and explore the towns and villages nearby.