Market House

The Midlands


Built in 1836 by Viscount de Vesci as a market house, this landmark building was restored by the council in 2009 and now houses the town library and an exhibition space.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby The Midlands attractions

1. Abbeyleix Heritage House & Museum

0.25 MILES

An old 19th-century school building houses this museum detailing Abbeyleix' rich history. One room looks at the town's carpet-making legacy – the Turkish…

2. Heywood Gardens

2.9 MILES

These lavish gardens with lakes and woodland were designed by Edwin Lutyens and landscaped by Gertrude Jekyll, and completed in 1912. The centrepiece is a…

3. Timahoe Round Tower

6.86 MILES

In the tiny, charming village of Timahoe, 12km southeast of Portlaoise, is a tilting 30m-tall, 12th-century round tower with an elaborately carved…

4. Castlecomer Discovery Park

9.61 MILES

The grounds of the former Wandesforde estate, whose owners grew rich from exploitation of the land's underlying coal deposits, now form a family-oriented…

5. Rock of Dunamase

9.97 MILES

The Rock of Dunamase, 6km east of Portlaoise, is an arresting sight: a craggy limestone outcrop rising 45m out of the flat plains. It offered early…

6. Donaghmore Workhouse

11.28 MILES

The unadorned stone Donaghmore Workhouse, 19km west of Durrow, was a last resort for the destitute in the 1850s – one of 130 workhouses in the country at…

7. Dunmore Cave

13.17 MILES

Dunmore Cave is as famous for its history as for its beautiful calcite formations, and has yielded many archaeological treasures. Admission is via a…

8. Mountmellick Museum

13.92 MILES

For an insight into the town's Quaker and industrial heritage, visit Mountmellick Museum, where you can also see a display of superbly subtle Mountmellick…