St. Peter's Church

St. Peter’s Church in Portlaoise, Co. Laois was built in the late-eighteenth century to the design of renowned architect, James Gandon.
Stained glass work by Alfred Ernest Child completed in 1938 of a scene of “Christ Blessing the Children” is present on the ground floor. This window was dedicated to the memory of Horace Turpin founder of Maryborough Gas Company in 1854.
Two large beautiful Joshua Clarke (father of Henry Clarke) stained glass windows were commissioned by the Jacob family.
Former St Peter's Revd Thomas Mosse was also the father of Bartholomew Mosse (born in 1712), who was the founder of the Rotunda Hospital in Dublin.
A number of notable personalities are buried in the adjoining burial ground including generations of the Jacob family whom were renowned in the medical field. Dr John Jacob founded the County Infirmary, while Dr Arthur Jacob discovered the membrane of the eye, afterwards called ‘Mebrana Jacobi’.
Henry William Talbot also rests in St Peter’s. He established the first newspaper in this part of the country. There is also a memorial to his son Marcus Talbot who was a member of the Canadian parliament who drowned on the steamship ‘Hungaria’ off Cape Sable Nova Scotia in 1860.

Free event but donations welcome