01/05/2026
🌿 Portarlington Park🌿 

We were delighted to attend the official opening of the People’s Park in Portarlington, Co. Laois, a bright spring day and a fantastic community event, brought to life by a live brass band and thoughtful contributions from local leaders and stakeholders.
The event featured an address from Minister Dara Calleary TD (Minister for Rural and Community Development and the Gaeltacht), a welcome from Angela McEvoy (Director of Services: Planning, Regeneration & Economic Development, Laois County Council), and a passionate contribution from Caroline Whitelegg (Acting Chairperson, People’s Park Committee & Tidy Towns Committee), reflecting decades of dedication and true community spirit. Mark Sheeran, local business owner and Chairperson of the Mountrath Town Team, also shared remarks, alongside a community representative who spoke to the importance of ongoing stewardship.
ALA were commissioned by and coordinated with Laois County Council to deliver the enhancement of this important public space. We are proud to have contributed to a project that places community, accessibility, and biodiversity at its core. Our approach focused on creating a more inclusive and engaging environment which included:
🌿 A new plaza designed to support arts and community events
🌿 A highly interactive sensory garden with a strong emphasis on accessibility, education, and biodiversity whilst also showcasing local artists with unique and creative sculptures
🌿 The enhancement of the existing Mountrath River Walk – reimagined as more accessible and rich with native Irish species and featuring a ‘Tree Trail’. Also strengthening existing connections to key heritage spaces such as the Quaker Graveyard.
We also wish to acknowledge Brian Gaynor for his early work on biodiversity strategies in Mountrath, which helped inform the direction of the project.
Projects such as these demonstrate how thoughtful, well-considered landscape design can meaningfully support biodiversity, enhance community wellbeing, and strengthen lasting connections between people and place.
