Laois Hockey Club encouraging new members to join the revolution
ESTABLISHED in 2023 as an amalgamation of Abbeyleix Juvenile Hockey Club and Portlaoise Senior Hockey Club, Laois Hockey Club has gone from strength to strength over the past three years.
The amalgamation was designed with the aim of encouraging, promoting and developing hockey within the county, bringing together the juvenile players and senior players from across Laois under one, cohesive umbrella.
The club initially began with two senior women’s teams, with both rising up the ranks in the Leinster Hockey League. Laois Women Firsts have already been promoted twice, winning Division 7 and Division 6 as they now prepare to begin their second season in Division 5, having finished mid-table in 2025. They also delivered the first piece of silverware for the club in 2025, beating Dublin side, Genesis 4-1 in the final of the Leinster Division 5/6 Shield.
Laois Women Seconds have also experienced steady progress, gaining promotion from Division 11 and preparing for their second season in Division 10 having avoided relegation in 2025/26.
The new season gets underway on Saturday, September 19th, with Laois Firsts taking on Kilkenny in Kilkenny College, while Laois Seconds are playing Dublin side, Railway Union that same day. Laois HC are still without a home ground in the county, so play their “home” games more than 20km south of the border in Loreto Kilkenny.
What started as a girls and women only club has since shown proof of progress with several boy’s and men’s teams representing Laois HC in competitions up and down the country.
Speaking with The Laois Nationalist, club PRO, Emma Holohan says the next step in Laois HC’s progress is the planned move to a home ground here in the county, with Portlaoise earmarked as the likely location.
As well as serving as PRO, Ms Holohan is an active member of the Laois squad, and tells us her favourite part of playing for the club is “getting together with the girls and playing the game - the craic you have meeting up with the girls and just getting on and playing game that we all love.”
Laois HC are in the midst of a recruitment drive at the moment as they hope to attract players “from senior infant age up to senior men and women.”
While games are played in Loreto Kilkenny on Saturdays, the club train in Fr Breen Park in Abbeyleix. The senior women train on Tuesday evenings, 7.30pm to 9pm; the senior men train Thursdays, 7.30p, to 9pm; while the youths train on Sunday mornings.
Laois HC are eager to grow their numbers and spread the love of playing hockey to men and women, boys and girls of all ages. Those interested are encouraged to contact 086-6187044 for more information.
