County Laois

County Laois ( /ˈliːʃ/ leesh; Irish: Contae Laoise) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Midlands Region and is also located in the province of Leinster. It was formerly known as Queen's County (Irish: Contae na Banríona) until the establishment of the Irish Free State in 1922. The county's name was formerly spelt as Laoighis and Leix. Laois County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 80,458 according to the 2011 census - 20% higher than it was in the 2006 census which is the highest percentage population growth in the country. Laois is the 23rd largest of Ireland’s 32 counties in area and 24th largest in terms of population. It is the seventh largest of Leinster’s 12 counties in size and...