'Created by teenagers for teenagers' new Laois hangout space almost complete

Tucked away at one side of the People’s Park in Portlaoise, is a new outdoor performance and meeting space designed by Laois teenagers, for teenagers.

Croi na Coille was designed with the input of Laois Comhairle na nÓg and built by Laois County Council, funded by a €125,000 grant.

Now nearly complete, it has a large timber stage and walkway, carefully built amongst mature trees. It faces the tree covered esker ridge at The Downs where new tiered gabion stone and timber seats look out onto the park, providing an intimate and secure theatre for performances.

Last Friday September 18, the theatre had its debut live music concert, with canopies sheltering everyone from the rain.

The long awaited new youth space kicked off with an Open Mic concert celebrating young musical talents from around Laois, organised by Music Generation Laois (MGL).

The line up included Sean Ryan, Viridian, David Hickey, The Blank Appeal, Dynamight, Katie O’Neill, Raina & Fred, Celestia, Grainne, Dawn and Mikayla.

MGL promise more performances to come.

“We had a great Culture Night 2026. Thanks to all who performed, all the organisers and to all who came along to support us, a great collaborative effort, with young people's creativity at the centre of everything.

“Looking forward to lots of performances on Croí na Coille in the future. Our partners were Laois Arts, Laois County Council, Laois Sports Office, Laois Comhairle na nÓg, Youth Work Ireland Laois, The Arts Council, Laois and Offaly Education and Training Board and Music Generation Ireland,” they said.

The theatre is now back behind construction fencing, but Laois County Council say it will be complete in four to six weeks.

Laois Comhairle na nÓg had highlighted the shortage of safe places for young people to gather together in Laois, speaking to Laois County Council last year.

That led to the council seeking funding and successfully getting the maximum €125,000 state grant from the Department of Children.

Áine Barrett is a member of the comhairle and spoke to the Leinster Express / Laois Live.

“Creating the youth space was truly an incredible and insightful experience. Our group of 17 young people designed and created this youth space over the past year working together with the incredible people in Laois County Council.

“Honestly for me seeing this park come to life which started from Pinterest boards and sketches feels so surreal and empowering.

“As young people we often think that we have no power to make a change, that we have no control over what's around us, so being able to see and show what we can do is something so special and really close to my heart,” Áine said.

“We are very pleased with the outcome of the park and we really feel that the name Croí na Coille really represents what this park stands for. We chose this name because we felt that it connects the idea of nature but also describes how this is a space for teenagers, the sapling being equivalent to the adolescent stage in trees.

“This space is designed to give young people their own space in the park where they can connect with each other face to face, feel heard, secure and understood.

“It was very important to us to create a space for all teenagers. So seeing this space with a place for performances, large seating areas, wheelchair accessibility and half-secluded areas where people can still feel safe without being completely in the open and even more is so rewarding and inspirational.

“We feel that we have finally created a space where teenagers truly belong and we really hope that all young people feel understood and safe so that they can make use of this new space that was created for teenagers by teenagers,” Áine Barrett said.

Images by Terry Byrne