“Let food be your medicine and medicine be your food,” said Greek physician and celebrated ‘Father of Medicine’ Hippocrates, which is as true today as it was when first uttered almost 2,500 years ago. For food is what brings people together, the breaking of bread as a communal act serving to feed the spirit as much as the body. In …

There was seasonal spice and a cultural splice this December between the local community and more recent residents in the county, when the sights, scents and sounds of Ukrainian Christmas festivities filled the Portlaoise Parish Centre.   Laois Partnership Company had the pleasure of supporting what was the third annual event of this nature, which showcased ‘Vechornytsi’, a traditional performance of how Ukrainians celebrate …

Nestled close to the highest peak in the Slieve Bloom mountains, the village of Camross is in many ways a postcard example of rural simplicity. Long comprised of just the basic ingredients of Irish life – namely, a church, a school, a community centre and, of course a pub – even the local shop closed years ago, leaving the residents …

An informative afternoon on the synergy between business and community took place recently in the Maldron Hotel Portlaoise, at Laois Partnership Company’s inaugural Social Enterprise Taster Session.   A social enterprise is a business run by a group of volunteers who charge for a product or service that is a response to a relevant local social need, where all traded income …

Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys TD, has announced a major €20 million fund which will support hundreds of outdoor recreation projects across the country.  The 2024/25 Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme (ORIS) provides funding for the development of new and existing outdoor recreational infrastructure in rural areas.   It will see the development of our natural amenities such …

To mark Local Development Week, which celebrates the vital role Local Development Companies (LDCs) play in building vibrant, inclusive and sustainable communities throughout Ireland, Laois Partnership Company held an open morning in their Portlaoise premises on Friday, September 27th, 2024. This was a lively and well-attended event in the company’s headquarters, which was held to promote the work carried out …

With glorious sunshine ensuring a dry terrain across the expansive grounds in Ratheniska, the crowds assembled from all over Ireland to enjoy the 2024 National Ploughing Championships, where Laois Partnership Company set up stall for three days in the Laois County Council marquee to promote the extensive work we carry out helping local communities to grow.  Besides meeting and greeting …