Seven Portlaoise roundabouts to be named after Laois high achievers

Seven historic Laois figures are to be brought into the public eye again, with a Portlaoise roundabout to be named after each one.

Portlaoise Municipal District councillors have approved the naming of the seven roundabouts on the Portlaoise Western Orbital Route at their April meeting.

They include a Laois man who founded the Rotunda Hospital and a woman who is credited with saving the United Irishwomen. 

The names were suggested by The Heritage and Street Art Sub Group of Portlaoise Town Team, then approved by the Naming and Memorials Committee.

Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald proposed the new names be approved, seconded by Cll Marie Tuohy.

The roundabout at Fairgreen is to be the Lucy Franks roundabout. Ms Franks, 1878 - 1964, from Westfield and later Abbeyleix, is credited with saving the United Irishwomen, renamed the Irish Countrywomen's Association. She served as ICA President, guiding the founding of the craft workers guild.

The western orbital route at Fairgreen will be named after Helen M Roe, 1895 - 1988 from Mountrath, the first Laois County Librarian and first woman to be elected President of the Royal Society of Antiquaries of Ireland, elected a member of the Royal Irish Academy in 1984.

Clonrooske roundabout will be named after Anne Jellicoe, 1823 - 1880,  an educator who founded the prestigious Alexandra College. She advocated for educating the working class, and women so they could work outside the home.

The Ballyfin road roundabout is to be called after William Dargan, Graiguecullen, 1799 - 1867, the pioneer of Irish Railways who at one point employed 50,000 men. Responsible for building the National Gallery, he designed and built Ireland's first railway from Dublin to Dun Laoghaire. 

Harpur's Lane Roundabout will be named after Bartholemew Mosse, from Portlaoise, 1712 - 1759, an obstetrician and philantrapist who founded the first purpose built maternity hospital in the world, the Rotunda in Dublin. Below: an Irish stamp featuring Mr Mosse.

The Rockdale roundabout is to be called after Patrick 'Honest Patt' Lalor from Mountrath,  a leading figure in Catholic Emancipation and close ally of Daniel O'Connell. He was an MP for the Queen's County from 1832-35 and a supporter of the Irish Tenant League. His three sons all became leading political figures in Ireland or Australia, James Fintan, Richard and Peter.

Lastly the roundabout on the Old Knockmay Road near Clonminam will be called after Arthur Jacob, 1790-1874, an opthalmologist, medical editor and reformer who was outstanding in Irish medicine. He founded two Dublin hospitals specialising in skin and eyes.  Below: a marble bust of Arthur Jacob in the Royal Victoria Eye and Ear Hospital, Dublin.

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In 2019, the seven roundabouts on the new Southern Circular Route were named after the Seven Septs or historic ruling clans of Laois. They are O'Devoy (O'Deevy), O'Doran, O'Dowling, McEvoy, O'Kelly, O'Moore and O'Lalor.