O'Moore Park — Home of Laois GAA

O'Moore Park — commercially known as Laois Hire O'Moore Park — is the home of Laois GAA, located just 0.5km from Portlaoise town centre in the heart of the Irish midlands. One of Ireland's most historic county grounds, O'Moore Park was acquired by Laois GAA in 1917, making it among the first county grounds purchased by a GAA county board. With a capacity of approximately 27,000 and around 6,500 seats in a distinctive blue and white "Laois Laois" stand, the stadium combines heritage with modern facilities including LED floodlights for evening fixtures. The playing surface is widely regarded as one of Ireland's finest GAA pitches in all weather conditions, earning the ground a strong reputation as a neutral venue for inter-county matches. O'Moore Park's central location — accessible from Dublin in under an hour by rail — makes it an ideal venue for Leinster championship fixtures and national league games.

In use as a GAA ground since as early as 1888, O'Moore Park was formally acquired by Maryborough (now Portlaoise) GAA Club in 1908, before being purchased as Laois County Board's grounds in 1917. This made it one of the earliest county grounds in Ireland — only six years after Croke Park itself was acquired. Named after Rory O'Moore, the seventeenth-century Laois chieftain who led the Irish Rebellion of 1641, the ground has been the home of Laois GAA through good times and challenging eras alike. Over the decades the ground has been progressively improved, with the distinctive blue and white main stand one of its most recognisable features. Floodlights were installed to allow evening fixtures, and recently upgraded to energy-efficient LED technology. A capacity safety review required improvement works to terraces at a cost of approximately €1 million, after which full capacity was restored.

Matchday at O'Moore Park has a genuine community GAA atmosphere, with Portlaoise town coming alive with the blue and white of the O'Moore County. The stadium's central location means it regularly hosts neutral Leinster championship fixtures, bringing rival county supporters together in what can be a lively and competitive environment. The "Laois Laois" seating in the main stand is one of the most photographed features of any Irish GAA ground. Evening fixtures under the stadium's floodlights add a special quality to league and championship encounters. The town's proximity to both the M7 motorway and the Dublin–Cork railway line makes it one of the most accessible GAA venues in Ireland.

Behind-the-scenes stadium tours are available at O'Moore Park, covering dressing rooms, the players' tunnel, the pitch, and Laois GAA's trophy collection. Tours are particularly popular with local schools and GAA clubs. Contact Laois GAA via www.laoisgaa.ie to arrange a tour.

O'Moore Park does not operate a standalone museum. However, Laois GAA's trophy collection and historical memorabilia are accessible on stadium tours. The county board maintains a rich archive of Laois GAA history, which is occasionally exhibited at the ground.