Summary: Plantation of Laois and Offaly
Key dates:
In 1556, during the reign of Mary Tudor, the decision was taken to plant the counties of Laois and Offaly. Laois became known as Queen’s County and its main town, Fort Protector, was renamed Maryborough. Offaly became King’s County and its main town, Daingean, was renamed Philipstown after Mary’s husband, King Philip II of Spain. For over fifty years these planters met with fierce resistance from the native Irish.
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