€1.8 million development at historic Laois landmark now open to public

The Rock of Dunamase’s new visitor carpark and toilet facilities are now complete

Published 1st Jul 2026, 13:25 BST The newly constructed Rock of Dunamase visitor carpark. Photo: Laois County Council. The Rock of Dunamase’s new visitor carpark and toilet facilities are now complete Sign up to our Laois Live newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know you can manage your profile, and explore all of the available newsletters from Laois Live within your account.

Visitors to the Rock of Dunamase in Laois can now make use of the long-awaited carpark on the site.

Construction began last year on the new visitor carpark and toilet facilities at the historical Laois site following a large-scale archaeological survey.

Funding of €1,797,894 was approved under the EU Just Transition Fund for Laois County Council to complete the works.

Laois County Council has now announced that the carpark and toilets are open to the public.

According to the council, the majority of works to the car park and linkage to the Rock of Dunamase are complete and the car and bus park are available for use.

The newly constructed Rock of Dunamase visitor carpark. Photo: Laois County Council. Works to the Church of Ireland chapel and at the Rock are also substantially complete and provide for an accessible toilet facility.

The project has delivered 40 parking spaces, one disabled space, and two bus parking bays near the chapel.

The installation of interpretive and visitor information signage will mark the final element of the development. These works will commence in early July and will be finished by the end of August.

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The new facilities are expected to boost visitor numbers to the Rock of Dunamase which attracted 43,824 visitors to the site last year.

Some concerns were raised by local councillors in recent weeks regarding access to the site.

Councillor Paschal McEvoy requested Laois County Council to do something to divert all bus tours visiting the Rock of Dunamase away from the N80 due to difficulties with cars not being able to safely pass oncoming buses.

Cllr Vivienne Phelan reiterated the need for laybys on the road to the site at the June meeting of Laois County Council.

Director of Services with Laois County Council, Simon Walton, assured that some of the road signage has to be amended and there will be changes to access arrangements that will result from that.