Rosenallis

Rosenallis (historically Rossinallis, from Irish: Ros Fhionnghlaise, meaning "wood of the clear stream")[2] is a village in north County Laois, Ireland. It is in the foothills of the Slieve Bloom Mountains on the R422 Mountmellick to Birr road.[3]

Rosenallis Ros Fhionnghlaise
Town
Rosenallis Location in Ireland
Coordinates: 53°08′N 7°24′W
Country	Ireland
Province	Leinster
County	County Laois
Population  (2002)[1]
• Rural	440
	(Entire surrounding electoral division)
Time zone	UTC+0 (WET)
• Summer (DST)	UTC-1 (IST (WEST))

In 2002, the population of the village's catchment area was 440 persons - representing an 8.9% increase in population since 1996.[1] The population of the surrounding electoral division increased to 469 by 2011.[4]

Rosenallis is also important in the history of the Quaker movement, with William Edmundson, founder of the Quakers in Ireland, buried outside the village in the Friends graveyard.[3] Published in 1837, Samuel Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland described the area:

"In the Slieve Bloom Mountains are quarries of a soft white sandstone, which hardens when exposed to the air, and is susceptible of a high polish; it is in great demand throughout the country for chimney-pieces and hearth-stones; a coarser kind is used for flagging. Another peculiarity of these mountains is the fertility of their northern side, which is interspersed with neat farm-houses and cultivated enclosures to its summit, while its southern side is mostly a heathy waste. Iron ore was formerly raised, but is not now. There is a large tract of bog in this district, affording an abundant supply of fuel. Tillage is more attended to than grazing: there are but few flocks of sheep. The chief crops are potatoes, wheat, barley and oats."[5]

The village has two churches (Roman Catholic and Church of Ireland) as well as a village primary school, community centre and small shops, the village has two pubs, Shellys and Pooles Tavern. The secondary level schools serving the area are Clonaslee and Mountmellick. Every year usually in July the village hosts the "Festival Of The Mountain" which is situated in the Festival Field just outside the village.

The River Barrow rises in Glenbarrow which is in the parish of Rosenallis.

Rosenallis GAA is the local Gaelic Athletic Association club.

Rosenallis AFC is the local soccer club. It plays home games at its grounds "Johnsgrove".

In the Society of Friends graveyard just outside the village lies the remains of Ireland's heaviest man, Roger Byrne, who was said to have weighed 52 stone when he died in March 1804.[6] This was listed in prior Guinness Book of Record but has more recently been omitted.[7]