Stradbally Hall

Coordinates: 53°00′38″N 7°09′19″W / 53.01061°N 7.1554°W / 53.01061; -7.1554 Stradbally Hall is a large house in Stradbally, County Laois, Ireland. It is owned by the Cosby family and is positioned in the heart of Stradbally, around ten minutes from Portlaoise on the N80. The estate has hosted the Electric Picnic boutique arts and music festival since it began in 2004 and also hosts other events such as the National Steam Rally.

History

Early history

During the English colonial plantations of Laois and Offaly, Elizabeth I of England took possession of the Franciscan religious house in Stradbally, which she then gave to Francis Cosby as a reward for his part in suppressing the native Irish. The family rebuilt large parts of the estate and landscaped it to their tastes and desires, including the addition of a hermitage. Encountering financial difficulties, the family left Ireland for the city of Bristol, England in the early eighteenth century. An account written at the time described how the family returned rather quickly to Stradbally "not all of us liking England".

Stradbally

Stradbally (Irish: An Sráidbhaile, meaning "the (one) street town") is a town in County Laois, Ireland, located in the midlands of Ireland along the N80 road, a National Secondary Route, about 12 km (7 mi) from Portlaoise. It is also a townland (of 522 acres), a civil parish and historic barony. It is known for the birth of motor racing, the Steam Rally and the Electric Picnic. It's also the home of the Watt Clancy.

Features

Stradbally comprises a long linear street with two squares on the western side – The Market Square and The Courthouse Square. Milling was an important activity in the development of the town, but has now become obsolete and the structures have been adapted to provide a quality residential development in the centre of town. The main function of the town is that of a service centre for the surrounding agricultural hinterland. It has a number of major employers, including the McKeowns and there are also a range of services including doctors, beauticians, hairdressers, public houses, garages and small shops providing employment.