A History of the Fort Protector, Portlaoise, Ireland

Sinead Holland of the Laois County Library Service (http://www.laois.ie/LeisureandCulture/Libraries/) tells us the history of the Fort Protector. The town of Portlaoise originated as a fort constructed by the English for military and political purposes. The English settlers of the Pale were under constant threat from the O’Moores of Laois and their allies the O’Connors of Offaly. When in 1547 the native chieftains rose in rebellion again, military expeditions were dispatched to subdue them. The military campaign initiated by St. Ledger and completed by Sir Edward Bellingham, newly appointed Lord Deputy, was successful. The native leaders were arrested and taken to England. Their lives were spared but their lands were confiscated and granted to the lieutenant, Francis Bryan, Marshall of Ireland. Anxious to proceed with the fortification of the area, Bryan authorised the building of two large ‘campa’, one at Portlaoise and the other at Daingean in Offaly. The Laois ‘campa’ constructed under the supervision of Bellingham, was known to the English as the ‘Fort of Leix’ or ‘Fort Protector’, in honour of the Earl of Somerset, the Lord Protector of Ireland.

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