The event takes place on Saturday 24 May from 10am to 4pm.

THERE has been huge focus on the Catholic Church over the past number of weeks. Following the death of Pope Francis, media commentary intensified with the subsequent conclave which elected Pope Leo X1V.

Buses sought on a number of more roads in Portlaoise

A SPECIAL ceremony in Laois this weekend will honour children and adults buried in unmarked graves near a former workhouse.

Dr Fergus McKeagney, Belmont, Main Street, Portarlington, Laois passed unexpectedly but peacefully in Portlaoise Hospital on the morning of 17 May, surrounded by his loving family. Predeceased by his parents Charles and Oonagh.

A MOTORBIKE was seized from a learner driver who was caught doing 168kph in Laois today. The motorcyclist was pulled in by the Laois Roads Policing Unit, after it was recorded at high speed on the M7 motorway.

A LEARNER motorcyclist who tested positive for cannabis was arrested by gardaí last night, after doing 180kph in a Laois village. The motorcycle was eventually stopped near Carlow, after a pursuit by the Laois Roads Policing Unit.

EMERGENCY services are at the scene of a fire in a wooded area beside a Laois road. Gardaí and firefighters are dealing with the blaze that broke out in woodland on the Ballacolla Road near Abbeyleix. In a warning on social media at 1.

Ber Brennan, Summerhill Lane, Portlaoise and formerly Cobh Co. Cork passed away peacefully on Friday 16 May in the tender care of the staff of Suncroft Nursing Home, Kildare. Ber was the dearly loved mother to Sarah and Susan and infant Paul (rip).

The 38-year old was served with a book of evidence at Portlaoise District Court.

Not-for-profit organisations in Laois could not sustain the valuable services they provide without the dedication and commitment of volunteers.

WITH more than 200 parking spaces available at Portlaoise hospital, a motorist decided to park his van in a loading bay. In so doing, he was fined €150 when his case came before a recent sitting of Portlaoise District Court.

A 22-year-old man has been jailed for dangerous driving causing the death of Laois student Adam Kirwan, during a night out with friends in March 2023.

TWO beautiful Laois walking trails will share €20,000 in government funding announced today. The Slieve Bloom Way has been approved for €10,000, while the Binnianea Way Trail in Cullohill has also been granted €10,000.

Fiona’s Journey: Written by her sister Emma McDonald from Ballinakill, Laois  I always felt a deep need to share my sister Fiona's story, because stories like hers often go untold.

ALMOST 1,100 people are waiting for a driving test in Laois, with delays of over six months at the county’s test centre in Portlaoise. Latest figures show that 1,092 learner drivers are waiting in Portlaoise and only 216 are scheduled for a test.

BUDDING scientists were in the spotlight at Heywood Community School, when students showcased remarkable research and creativity at the annual SciFest.

A JAM-PACKED itinerary awaits those taking part in the 122 year running of the Gordon Bennett Classic Car Run that takes place from Thursday 30 May to Monday 2 June.

JUDGE Andrew Cody noted that a man who came before Portlaoise District Court was the same age as him, to which a garda sergeant replied: “He has a different lifestyle to yours.

A PENSIONER was last week fined €1,400 and put off the road for two years after he pleaded guilty to driving under the influence of cocaine and to dangerous driving.