Once known as “the Paris of the midlands”, Portarlington on the Laois-Offaly border was inhabited by French Huguenots in the 17th and 18th centuries, and they influenced the architecture of the town.
Located on a bend on the river Barrow, today Portarlington offers two main benefits to commuters to Dublin city, says local estate agent Matt Dunne: accessibility and affordability.
“What’s driving people to Portarlington is the cost of rental in Dublin,” Dunne says. The population of the town stood at 9,288 as of the 2022 Census, up 11 per cent from 2016.
In terms of affordability, a three-bed semidetached house would sell for about €375,000 in Portarlington, in the region of €420,000 in Monasterevin, about 10km away, and more than €400,000 in Portlaoise, 20km away, he says.
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When it comes to accessibility, Portarlington tends to be on the outer limits of where commuters to the city are prepared to live, Dunne says, with its rail services seen as a big benefit. Located on the Dublin-Galway and Dublin-Cork lines, about 30 rail services leave Portarlington for Heuston Station in the capital on a weekday, with journey durations of between 37 minutes and one hour, four minutes.
For driving, there is easy accessibility to the M7 motorway, with the easiest route through junction 14 at Monasterevin, Dunne says.
“Now, because of hybrid working, [commuters] have two or three days to walk down the town, to use the facilities, and there’s coffee shops springing up. There’s much more life in Portarlington now than there was.”
There have been ongoing works to rejuvenate the town square, including the refurbishment of the Market House which has been turned into a community centre.
Transport
- Portarlington train station has daily services to Dublin Heuston and Galway’s Ceannt station. Duration of journeys to Dublin: from 37 minutes to one 1 hour, 4 minutes.
- Driving: Journeys take upwards of an hour to Dublin city centre via motorway, depending on traffic.
Leisure
- Portarlington Library
- Golf at the Heritage Golf Club and Portarlington Golf Club
- Sports clubs include GAA, rugby, soccer and tennis
- Swimming pool and gym facilities
- Market House community centre
Outdoor amenities
- Derryounce nature reserve with lakes and trails
- Emo Court (8km away) with 250 acres of parkland free to roam
Supermarkets: Lidl, Aldi and Supervalu
Schools: There are three primary schools in the town and plans for the existing secondary school to be expanded
Homes for sale in Portarlington
Cushina Avenue, Portarlington, Co Laois
Matt Dunne & Associates, from €380,000
This new housing development of A-rated homes has three houses still available: two semi-detached three-bed houses, extending to 106sq m (1,141sq ft), with an asking price of €380,000; and one detached four-bedroom house, extending to 133sq m (1,432sq ft), with an asking price of €450,000. Cushina Avenue is about a five-minute drive from Portarlington town, and 10 minutes from the train station.
Bishopswood Road, Portarlington, Co Laois
Tom McDonald & Associates, €395,000
This detached home is surrounded by spacious gardens, providing lots of potential. The house, which features annex accommodation, extends to a spacious 242sq m (2,605sq ft), with four bedrooms. The home is in good condition but would benefit from a cosmetic refresh; a prospective buyer could potentially move in and carry out upgrades as they go. It is just a couple of minutes’ drive from the town and 10 minutes from the train station. Ber D1
Millers Hill, Killenard, Co Laois
Kelly Walsh, from €465,000
Located in nearby Killenard, this new housing development of A-rated homes has five houses still available, including: four two-storey, four-bedroom semi-detached houses, extending to 141sq m (1,518sq ft), with an asking price of €465,000; and one three-storey, four-bedroom semidetached house, extending to 163sq m (1,755sq ft), with an asking price of €495,000. Millers Hill is about a five-minute drive from Portarlington train station, and 10 minutes from the town.
18 Ballymorris Court, Portarlington, Co Laois
Matt Dunne & Associates, €290,000
This three-bed terraced home comes to the market in a residential development overlooking a green area. Extending to 96sq m (1,033sq ft), the property is in good, modern condition and features a reasonably sized back garden. It is a 20-minute walk from the town and a four-minute drive from the train station. Ber B2
