Rathdowney

748 registered freehold parcels lie mostly in Rathdowney, from 4 m² to 123,053 m² (12.31 ha, 30.41 acres). The dashed line is the townland's boundary; 53 neighbouring parcels touch it.

Download the townland: DXF, in Irish Transverse Mercator metres, with its boundary, parcels and buildings; GeoJSON or KML.

• R2Residential 1 - Existing Residential (Existing residential)
  LAOIS COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2021-2027, Laois · 404 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
• M2Town Centre (City/Town/village Centre, central area)
  LAOIS COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2021-2027, Laois · 215 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
• G4Open Space and Amenity (Active open space)
  LAOIS COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2021-2027, Laois · 21 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
• C1.1General Business (Commercial, retail)
  LAOIS COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2021-2027, Laois · 16 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
• S5Community Educational and Institutional (Mixed/general community services/facilities uses)
  LAOIS COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2021-2027, Laois · 12 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
• C6Industrial (Mixed/general commercial/industrial/enterprise uses)
  LAOIS COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2021-2027, Laois · 12 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
• O1Strategic Reserve (Strategic reserve, White land)
  LAOIS COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2021-2027, Laois · 3 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
• R3Residential 2 (Residential, mixed residential and other uses)
  LAOIS COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2021-2027, Laois · 2 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
• C5Tourism (Tourism and related)
  LAOIS COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2021-2027, Laois · 2 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
• M1Mixed Use (Mixed Use, general development, opportunity/proposal site)
  LAOIS COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2021-2027, Laois · 2 parcels The zoning objective in the plan
• N1.5Utilities (Mixed/general transport uses)
  LAOIS COUNTY DEVELOPMENT PLAN 2021-2027, Laois · 1 parcels The zoning objective in the plan

Source: Tailte Éireann and the Department of Housing (MyPlan), national zoning, CC BY 4.0.

• 4 Sept 2026N/a

  construct a new roofed spectator stand to the north of the grounds including all associated site works

  Permission · Laois County Council, 2660616

• 2 Apr 2026Conditional

  ALTER THE CONVERSION, RENOVATIONS AND EXTENSION TO THE TWO OUTBUILDINGS INTO A 3-BED TOWN HOUSE INSTEAD OF 2 NO. 2-BEDROOM APARTMENTS INCLUDING ALTERED FENESTRATION, RAISING REAR ROOF AND REMOVING STAIRWELL AND ALTERATION OF SITE BOUNDARIES AND ALL ASSOCIATED AND NECESSARY SITE WORKS WHICH ARE WITHIN THE CURTILAGE OF THE LISTED BUILDING P. HEALY SHOP RPS NO. 291 & NIAH NO. 12900802

  Retention, 1 home · Laois County Council, 2660180

• 9 Mar 2026N/a

  RETAIN ALTERATIONS TO THE CONVERSION, RENOVATION AND EXTENSION OF THE TWO OUTBUILDINGS INTO A 3-BED TOWN HOUSE INSTEAD OF 2 NO. 2-BEDROOM APARTMENTS INCLUDING ALTERED FENESTRATION, RAISING REAR ROOF AND REMOVING STAIRWELL AND ALTERATION OF SITE BOUNDARIES AND ALL ASSOCIATED AND NECESSARY SITE WORKS WHICH ARE WITHIN THE CURTILAGE OF THE LISTED BUILDING P. HEALY SHOP RPS NO. 291 & NIAH NO. 12900802

  Retention · Laois County Council, 2660126

• 8 Dec 2025Conditional

  construct a new dwelling, a new garage, a new entrance onto the public road, a new connection to the public sewer and public water supply and all associated siteworks

  Permission, 1 home · Laois County Council, 2560824

• 5 Dec 2025Conditional

  to erect an 18m monopole telecommunications support structure together with antennas, dishes and associated equipment

  Permission · Laois County Council, 2560818

• 9 Nov 2025N/a

  to construct a new dwelling, a new garage, a new entrance onto the public road, a new connection to the public sewer and public water supply and all associated siteworks

  Permission · Laois County Council, 2560732

• 16 Jan 2025Conditional

  extend commercial unit and all associated ancillary site works

  Permission, 1 home · Laois County Council, 253

• 11 Nov 2024Conditional

  o construct a 5 bay warehouse/storage shed and concrete apron to connect to existing yard and all associated and necessary works at his business premises, Main Street, Rathdowney, Co Laois.

  Permission, 1 home · Laois County Council, 2460685

• 8 Nov 2024N/a

  construct a 5 bay warehouse/storage shed and concrete apron to connect to existing yard and all associated and necessary works at his business premises, Main Street, Rathdowney, Co Laois.

  Permission · Laois County Council, 2460676

• 22 May 2024Conditional

  retain change of use from commercial to residential on the ground floor and for the existing outbuildings to be used for private storage and all ancillary and necessary site works

  Retention, 1 home · Laois County Council, 2460278

• 10 May 2024N/a

  Rosaleen Dwyer on behalf of Fairbrother Childminding Ltd intends applying for retention permission for change of use from commercial to residential on the ground floor and for the existing outbuildings to be used for private storage and all ancillary and necessary site works at Duggen's Flats, Main Street, Rathdowney ,Co. Laois R32 V2W

  Retention · Laois County Council, 2460255

• 9 May 2024N/a

  retain change of use from commercial to residential on the ground floor and for the existing outbuildings to be used for private storage and all ancillary and necessary site works

  Retention · Laois County Council, 2460250

• 19 Apr 2024Conditional

  extend & refurbish existing dwelling including demolition of part of existing dwelling; demolition of 2 no. outbuildings; alterations and extension to rear of existing dwelling; widening existing vehicular entrance; boundary alterations

  Permission, 1 home · Laois County Council, 2460203

• 12 Apr 2024Conditional

  Two storey extension to rear of property including renovations and change of use from retail on ground floor to residential which is a listed building P.Healy Shop RPS no. 291 & NIAH no. 12900802 also full planning permission to convert, renovate and extend the two outbuildings into 2 no. 2-bedroom apartments including demolition of lean-to and all associated and necessary site works which are within the curtilage of the listed building RPS no. 291 & NIAH no. 12900802

  Retention, 3 homes · Laois County Council, 2460189

• 3 Apr 2024N/a

  retain the two storey extension to rear of property including renovations and change of use from retail on ground floor to residential, also full planning permission to convert , renovate and extend the two outbuildings into 2 no. 2-bedroom apartments including demolition of lean-to and all associated and necessary site works

  Retention · Laois County Council, 2460174

• 15 Mar 2024Conditional

  construct a new all weather playing pitch with associated fencing, netting, lighting and ancillary site works

  Permission · Laois County Council, 2442

• 7 Mar 2024N/a

  construct a new all weather playing pitch with associated fencing, netting, lighting and ancillary site works

  Permission · Laois County Council, 2434

• 30 Nov 2023Conditional

  Demolition of water tank structural supports and removal of 2 No. flat roofs to be replaced with ‘A’ roof structures, together with all Ancillary Site Works and Services.

  Permission · Laois County Council, 2360511

• 14 Nov 2023Conditional

  1. Amend the northern site boundary from previously granted application ref: 22/265, 2.Construct a new masonry wall to the north of the grounds, 3.Construct a new storage shed and all associated site works.

  Permission · Laois County Council, 2360484

• 10 Nov 2023N/a

  demolish a water tank structure and replace with ‘A’ roof structure together with all Ancillary Site Works and Services

  Permission · Laois County Council, 2360481

• 9 Nov 2023Conditional

  construct a Ground Floor Plant Room & First Floor Electrical Switch Room and associated external plant together with all Ancillary Site Works and Services

  Permission · Laois County Council, 2360478

• 3 Nov 2023Conditional

  construct new shopfront, new signage and all associated alterations to the front elevation of the former Bank of Ireland premises

  Permission · Laois County Council, 2360467

• 3 Nov 2023N/a

  construct a Ground Floor Plant Room & First Floor Electrical Switch Room and associated external plant together with all Ancillary Site Works and Services

  Permission · Laois County Council, 2360469

• 27 Oct 2023N/a

  construct new shopfront, new signage and all associated alterations to the front elevation of the former Bank of Ireland premises

  Permission · Laois County Council, 2360453

• 25 Sept 2023N/a

  Construct a new masonry wall to the north of the grounds, including all associated site works.

  Permission · Laois County Council, 2360395

The 25 most recent of 76 applications.

Source: National Planning Applications, Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Applicants are not shown.

Designated sites

No designated site (Special Area of Conservation, Special Protection Area, Natural Heritage Area or proposed one) touches the townland of Rathdowney.

Recorded monuments

• LA028-055001 Church
  Description

  The pre-Reformation parish church, dedicated to the Most Holy Trinity, was demolished in 1818 (Carrigan 1905, vol. 2, 340). No visible surface remains. Its site is now occupied by the 19th century Church of Ireland church. Rathdowney derives its name from 'Rath Domhnaiagh, the Rath of the Domhnach or Church'(LA028-055003-) (Carrigan 1905, vol. 2, 339) where a large quantity of human bones were discovered in 1840 possibly indicating the site of an ancient church and graveyard (LA028-055004-). The pre-Reformation parish church was dedicated to the Most Holy Trinity and was demolished in 1818 (Carrigan 1905 vol. 2, 339-40). Church of Ireland church was probably built on site of the earlier church. No visible surface remains of medieval church. 'In 1465 Dermod Hoily, cleric of Ossory Diocese, bound himself, as principal, to the Camera Apostolica, for the annats of the perpetual vicariate of the parochial church of Draithdonhnaigh (Rathdowney), in the said Diocese of Ossory, vacant by the deprivation of John Olanrn' (Carrigan 1905, vol. 2, 340). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Laois' (Dublin Stationery Office, 1995) compiled by P. David Sweetman, Olive Alcock and Bernie Moran. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 17 December 2007

• LA028-055003 Castle - ringwork
  Description

  Not marked on the 1841 or 1908 editions of the OS 6-inch maps. 135m NE of Rathdowney Protestant church (LA028-055001-) was a circular flat-topped enclosure (diam. 22.5-7m, H c. 2.43m). It was levelled in 1840 and five cart loads of human bones were removed from it; possible site of ancient church (LA028-055002-) (Carrigan 1905, vol. 2, 339, 340). No visible surface remains. Earthwork was levelled around 1804 and was replaced by a school house that was subsequently knocked down and replaced by a handball alley and CYMS building that is now used as a snooker club. This monument may have been a ringwork that was situated beside the old medieval church of Rathdowney (LA028-055002-), and inside the graveyard that enclosed this medieval church. Could have been the site of the thirteenth century castle that was built by Adam de Hereford between 1207-1213. Described by Carrigan as 'Rath Domhnaigh, the Rath of the Domhnach or Church. 'The 'Rath' from which the name has its origin, was situated at the north side of Rathdowney Square, in Mr. Patrick Murphy's yard and garden, 150 yards north-east of the Protestant church. It was circular in shape, 25 or 30 yards in diameter and flat at the top, and raised about 8ft. Over the surrounding land. The presence of such a great quantity of human bones would certainly point to the rath as the site of an ancient churchyard, and, consequently, of a Domhnach or Church' (Carrigan 1905, vol. 2, 339-40). In 1207 and 1213 Adam de Hereford was granted the 'tuath of Mamocle in which his castle of Radouney stands' (Cunningham 1987, 166). Could be the same site as the unlocated castle within townland that is mentioned in the OS letters as 'About that time the royal palace (castle?) of that territory which is called rath Bacain, began to be erected from the foundation' (O'Flanagan 1933, vol. 2, p. 12). The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Laois' (Dublin Stationery Office, 1995) compiled by P. David Sweetman, Olive Alcock and Bernie Moran. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 17 December 2007

• LA028-055004 Graveyard
  Description

  In Rathdowney town. All visible headstones are post 1700 AD. Square shaped graveyard (int. dims. 41m N-S; 59m E-W) enclosed by a stone wall as indicated on current edition of the OS 6-inch map. C of I church in centre of graveyard, this church may have been built on the site of an earlier medieval church (LA028-055001-). The medieval graveyard may have extended northwards across the public road and into the properties to the NE of the church. Possible ringwork (LA028-055003-) may have been situated within the grounds of this medieval graveyard. The above description is derived from the published 'Archaeological Inventory of County Laois' (Dublin Stationery Office, 1995) compiled by P. David Sweetman, Olive Alcock and Bernie Moran. In certain instances the entries have been revised and updated in the light of recent research. Date of upload: 17 December 2007

• LA028-112 Historic town
  Description

  Described by Carrigan as 'a town, Rathdowney cannot boast of any great antiquity. It must have been a very small village in 1665, as only about a dozen persons paid hearth money in the whole townland of Rathdowney in this year' (Carrigan 1905, vol. 2, 340). Described by Feehan as 'Rathdowney takes its name from a 'rath' (LA028-055003-) which stood until 1840 at the north end of the town square, close to the site of the medieval parish church (LA028-055001-) of Rathdowney, which was where the Protestant church stands. The ringfort may have been the seat of the Gaelic civil power in the local lordship in early medieval times, and together with the church made the place a natural focus for settlement which attracted the Normans in the late twelfth century' (Feehan 1983, 397-8). In the thirteenth century the manor of Rathdowney figures prominently in the Ormond Deeds (Cunningham 1987, 166). Between 1207 and 1213 Adam de Hereford was granted the 'tuath of Mamocle in which his castle (LA028-055003-) of Radouney[Rathdowney] stands' (Cunningham 1987, 166). The historical references to the manor of Rathdowney along with the presence of a medieval church and thirteenth century castle all suggest that the present village of Rathdowney is built on the site of a thirteenth century settlement. This settlement is lkely to have been located on either side of the main street from the Church (LA028-055001-) and ringwork (LA028-055003-) at the Northern end of the town stretching southwards towards the River at the southern end of the modern village of Rathdowney. Compiled by: Caimin O'Brien Date of upload: 17 December 2007

Architectural heritage

• Flynn's Medical Hall, 1860–1890 · Regional interest
  Description

  Terraced two-bay two-storey house, c. 1880. Renovated, c. 1930, with shopfront inserted to ground floor.

• Patrick Malone, 1870–1900 · Regional interest
  Description

  Terraced four-bay two-storey house, c. 1880, with integral carriageway. Renovated, c. 1930, with façade enrichments added to accommodate commercial use. Now disused to ground floor.

• P. Whelan, 1870–1900 · Regional interest
  Description

  Terraced three-bay two-storey house, c. 1880, with integral carriageway. Renovated, c. 1910, with shopfront inserted to part ground floor.

• Conroy, 1885–1905 · Regional interest
  Description

  Terraced three-bay two-storey house, c. 1890, with render pilaster shopfront to part ground floor.

• E.A. Giles, 1850–1890 · Regional interest
  Description

  Terraced four-bay three-storey house, c. 1860. Renovated, c. 1900, with shopfront inserted to ground floor having retractable canopies.

• , 1800–1840 · Regional interest
  Description

  Pair of terraced six-bay two-storey houses, c. 1830. Renovated, c. 1900, with render shopfront inserted to ground floor. Now in use as offices with residential accommodation over.

• Mary Tuohy, 1910–1930 · Regional interest
  Description

  End-of-terrace four-bay two-storey house, c. 1920, with integral carriageway and timber pubfront to ground floor.

• J.C. Ryan, 1870–1890 · Regional interest
  Description

  End-of-terrace two-bay two-storey house, c. 1880. Renovated, c. 1920, with shopfront inserted to ground floor. Now disused to ground floor.

• , 1800–1840 · Regional interest
  Description

  Terraced three-bay two-storey house, c. 1820, with integral carriageway. Renovated, c. 1920, with pubfront inserted to ground floor. Now amalgamated with building to right.

• J.A. O'Malley, public house, 1885–1910 · Regional interest
  Description

  End-of-terrace two-bay two-storey house, c. 1900, with render pubfront to ground floor and four-bay two-storey lateral range.

• The Lodge, gate lodge, 1860–1890 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached two-storey Tudor Gothic style gate lodge, c. 1885, with canted bay window. Extended comprising two-storey range.

• Richard Williams and Sons, 1800–1840 · Regional interest
  Description

  Terraced four-bay two-storey house, c. 1835. Renovated, c. 1890, with shopfronts inserted to ground floor including projecting shopfront to left.

• H.G. Perry and Son, 1800–1840 · Regional interest
  Description

  Terraced three-bay two-storey house, c. 1835, with integral carriageway. Renovated, c. 1940, with pubfront inserted to ground floor.

• Bank/financial institution, 1875–1880 · Regional interest
  Description

  Terraced two- or four-bay two-storey bank with dormer attic, built 1876, on a T-shaped plan. Designed by Thomas Newenham Deane (1827-99).

• Saint Andrew's Church (Rathdowney), church/chapel, 1815–1820 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached Georgian Gothic Church of Ireland church, dated 1818, with tower having needle spire. Renovated, c. 1865, with projecting porch and chancel added. Extended, c. 1990, with plant room added to chancel. Carved plaque to north porch; plaque reads : "A.D. 1818/Revd Marcus Monk Vicar/William Quinn/John Patterson/ C. Wardens. Richd Dowling Sculpt Kilkenny"

• Rectory/glebe/vicarage/curate's house, 1810–1820 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached five-bay two-storey former glebe house, c. 1815, with curved flanking screen walls having piers with castellated coping. Extended to rear comprising two-storey return. Now in private residential use.

• Rathdowney Courthouse, court house, 1810–1840 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached five-bay two-storey former courthouse, c. 1830, with three-bay single-storey range. Now in residential use.

• Rathdowney Christian Young Mens' Society, school, 1890–1910 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached three-bay two-storey former school, c. 1910. Renovated, c. 1975, with single-storey entrance bay added to right to accommodate use as hall.

• Erkin View, house, 1810–1840 · Regional interest
  Description

  Detached three-bay single-storey over basement house, c. 1830. Detached coach house to rear. Cobbled courtyard to rear.

• Perry Memorial Fountain, fountain, 1915–1925 · Regional interest
  Description

  Freestanding limestone memorial fountain, c. 1920, on a moulded base with inscription. Spout removed. Now in use as planting box. Inscription reads : - "In memory/of/Geraldine/wife of/Alfred William Perry/Erkindale Rathdowney/died June 1918"

Designated sites: National Parks and Wildlife Service. Recorded monuments: Sites and Monuments Record, National Monuments Service. Buildings: National Inventory of Architectural Heritage. Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage, CC BY 4.0. Works at or in relation to a recorded monument need two months' written notice to the National Monuments Service (National Monuments (Amendment) Act 1994, section 12).

Radon

About 1 in 10 homes in this area is likely to have high radon levels. Testing a home

Landslides

Susceptibility moderately low, low, low (inferred), on the 1:50,000 map; parts are made ground and water.

Terrain model

LiDAR of the Office of Public Works, flown in 2011, at 2 m: tile OPW_1912 (ZIP).

Flooding

The flood maps of the Office of Public Works: floodinfo.ie.

Radon Risk Map of Ireland, Environmental Protection Agency; Landslide Susceptibility Classification, Geological Survey Ireland; both CC BY 4.0. LiDAR: contains Irish Public Sector Data (Geological Survey Ireland & the Office of Public Works) licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) licence.

No address of the register names Rathdowney with five sales or more. The sales of the area are on the page of Co. Laois.

Name

Rathdowney · Ráth Domhnaigh

Area

2,294,249 m² (229.42 ha, 566.92 acres)

Civil parish

Rathdowney, and its townlands

Barony

Clandonagh

Electoral division

Rathdowney, the unit of the census

Census 2022

Rathdowney electoral division: 1,317 people in 524 households; 64% of households own their home; 20% of homes were built since 2001; 10% of dwellings stood vacant on census night, and 2% were holiday homes.

Neighbouring townlands

Ballybuggy, Ballycoolid, Castletown, Coolkerry, Coolnaboul West, Creelagh, Donaghmore, Kilcoran, Knockheel

Placenames

Rathdowney on logainm.ie, the Placenames Database of Ireland

Townlands, civil parishes, baronies and electoral divisions, National Statutory Boundaries, Tailte Éireann, CC BY 4.0. Census 2022, Small Area Population Statistics by electoral division, Central Statistics Office, CC BY 4.0. A townland is the smallest land division of Ireland, and the unit of a rural address; old registers such as the 1901 and 1911 censuses file it under its civil parish and barony.