Within 3 km of The Swan there are 3 schools (3 primary schools). Since 2019/20, pupils changed −23%, lower than both Co. Laois’ towns (+10%) and Irish towns (+4%).

School	Level	Pupils	Ethos
St Patricks N.S. DEISLargest primary schoolPrimary	Primary	57	Catholic
Scoil an Chroi Ro Naofa DEISIn the DEIS schemePrimary	Primary	29	Catholic

See all 3 schools →

Schools within 3 km	The Swan	Co. Laois	Ireland
In the DEIS scheme	100%	15%	35%
Pupils since 2019/20	−23%	+10%	+4%
Teach through Irish	0%	0%	8%

pupils at schools within 3 km, 2025/26

−23%

pupils since 2019/20 · Irish towns +4%

0.2 km

to the nearest primary school

9.7 km

to the nearest secondary school

Full pageThe Swan’s schools pageOpen the full Schools page

Who runs them3 schools within 3 km Language0% teach through Irish · 0 schools teach through Irish Pupils over time95 pupils · −23% since 2019/20 Questions“What schools are there in The Swan?”

Department of Education school lists, 2025/26 (preliminary) · no results are published by school · Ireland publishes no results school by school, so these cards carry no letters or results.

Natural hazards

Some of The Swan’s homes have high radon: an estimated 6.4%, above the reference level

0%of homes in high-radon areas

The ground under The Swan carries no high landslide susceptibility. Its homes mostly stand clear of low ground by water.

Homes exposed · share of the town’s homes

In high-radon areas0%

On high landslide susceptibility0%

Share of homes	The Swan	Co. Laois	Ireland
In high-radon areas	0%	0%	0%
On high landslide susceptibility	0%	0%	0%

127

homes mapped for these shares

Full pageThe Swan’s flood & hazards pageOpen the full Flood & hazards page

Low-lying homes0% of homes · Homes low beside water GroundHigh landslide susceptibility · Irish towns 0%Radon0% of homes in high-radon areas Be readyFlood warnings, radon tests and insurance

EPA radon map, GSI landslide susceptibility and our low-lying homes estimate from OPW LiDAR.

Climate

Winter nights bite in The Swan: January lows of 1.4°C, colder than Co. Laois’ towns or Irish towns

19.5°CJuly afternoon high

Day and night, summer and winter, The Swan averages 9.3°C. Here July highs average 19.5°C, below both Co. Laois’ towns (20.1°C) and Irish towns (19.9°C). The town gets 1,043 mm of rain a year.

Average afternoon highs by season · 1991–2020 averages

Winter7.9°C

Spring12.7°C

Summer18.9°C

Autumn13.4°C

Climate, 1991–2020	The Swan	Co. Laois	Ireland
Average temperature over the year	9.3°C	9.9°C	10.3°C
January low	1.4°C	2.0°C	2.9°C
July high	19.5°C	20.1°C	19.9°C
Rain a year	1,043 mm	938 mm	937 mm

19.5°C

July high

1.4°C

January low

1,043 mm

Rain a year

112 mm

Wettest month

Air frosts

Full pageThe Swan’s climate pageOpen the full Climate page

The yearSummer highs 18.9°C, winter lows 1.4°C At a glanceJuly highs 19.5°C, January lows 1.4°C Rain1,043 mm of rain a year · November is the wettest month, 112 mm Weather station16 km to the weather station · Oak Park

Met Éireann, 1991–2020 averages.

Health

Bad health in The Swan is in line with what its ages predict

87%good or very good health

Unpaid caring falls to 4% of The Swan’s residents. Allowing for its ages, The Swan has 98 residents with a disability per 100 expected, below Co. Laois’ towns (126) and Irish towns (106) alike. A disability affects 20% of people locally.

Per 100 expected at the town’s ages · age-standardised

Bad health128

Disability98

Co. Laois154

Expected100

General health, self-reported

Good or very good 87%Fair 10%Bad or very bad 2%

Census 2022	The Swan	Co. Laois	Ireland
Unpaid carers	4%	5.2%	5.4%
With a disability	20%	25%	22%
Bad or very bad health	2.2%	2.4%	2%
Good or very good health	87%	87%	88%

128

bad health per 100 expected · Co. Laois 154

disability per 100 expected · Co. Laois 126

83.2 · 80

life expectancy, women · men, the Midland region, 2016

28%

hold a medical card, HSE Dublin and Midlands

Full pageThe Swan’s health pageOpen the full Health page

Health GradeBad health 128, disability 98 per 100 expected Getting care0% within 800 m of a pharmacy Census health87% in good or very good health The wider areaLife expectancy: women 83.2, men 80

CSO, Census 2022 general health, disability and carers · CSO life expectancy by region, 2016 · HSE medical cards, 2024 · TownRatings age-standardised ratios

Housing

Few households rent privately in The Swan: 6%, fewer than in Co. Laois’ towns and Irish towns

€279Kmedian sale price

74% of households own their home, above both Co. Laois’ towns (63%) and Irish towns (61%). Social renters account for 20% of households.

Median sale price · Eircode area, 2023–2025

The Swan€279K

Co. Laois€251K

Irish towns€350K

Housing	The Swan	Co. Laois	Ireland
Households renting privately	6%	19%	22%
Households owning their home	74%	63%	61%
Households in social housing	20%	16%	13%
Median sale price	€279K	€251K	€350K

74%

own their home · Irish towns 61%

rent privately · Irish towns 22%

€1,235

a month on new tenancies, County Laois

Full pageThe Swan’s cost of living pageOpen the full Cost of living page

Owners and renters74% own their home Cost of livingMedian sale price €279,400 Renting€1,235 a month · Average rent on new tenancies

Property Price Register · CSO residential prices by Eircode area · RTB rents · CSO, Census 2022 tenure · The price is for the postcode area R14, not the town alone: too few sales inside the town carry a full address.

Outdoors

Green space is close to home in The Swan: 100% of homes are within 400 m of some, more than Co. Laois’ towns or Irish towns

100%of homes near green space

Within 1 km, 1.8% of the land is woodland, lower than both Co. Laois’ towns (2.5%) and Irish towns (2.7%). Per 1,000 residents, The Swan has 5.9 ha of green space.

Green space per 1,000 residents · per 1,000 residents

The Swan5.9 ha

Co. Laois1.4 ha

Irish towns4.1 ha

Outdoors	The Swan	Co. Laois	Ireland
Near a park	100%	71%	92%
Paths per km² of town	0.0 km per km²	0.6 km per km²	2.1 km per km²
Woodland within 1 km	1.8%	2.5%	2.7%
Protected nature within 5 km	0.6%	1.6%	1.8%

100%

Near a park

5.9 ha

Green space

0 km

Footpaths

0.6%

Protected for nature

Full pageThe Swan’s outdoors pageOpen the full Outdoors page

Green space nearby100% of homes within 400 m Parks5.9 ha per 1,000 residents · 2 ha of green space, 0 parks Protected nature0.6% of the land within 5 km · No protected site within 5 km Paths and trails0 km of paths · 0 trails and greenways within 5 km

OpenStreetMap parks and paths, NPWS protected sites and the National Trails Register.

Weather

The Swan, tomorrow: fog, and the thermometer reaches 8 degrees

8°C / 4°CTomorrow

The heaviest rain of the week is due on Wednesday, around 19 mm. The Swan’s November average makes a useful yardstick: afternoons reach 10°C, nights fall to 3°C. Nothing falls from the sky tomorrow, by the look of it; the wind keeps to 8 km/h or less, and the low is 4°C.

This month and the next three, normal highs · 1991–2020 averages

November10°C

December8°C

January8°C

February8°C

Season	High	Low	Rain
Winter	8°C	1°C	292 mm
Spring	13°C	4°C	210 mm
Summer	19°C	10°C	232 mm
Autumn	13°C	6°C	308 mm

8°C / 4°C

Tomorrow

None

Rain, next 24 hours

2 km/h

Wind

99%

Humidity

9 h 13 min

Daylight

Full pageThe Swan’s weather pageOpen the full Weather page

Next 24 hoursNone Rain, next 24 hours · Staying mostly dry The week ahead8°C / 4°C Tomorrow · A normal 7 November: 11°C / 4°C Warnings & more9 h 13 min Daylight · 07:35 to 16:49

Forecast: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · normals: Met Éireann, 1991–2020

Work & commute

Short commutes are rarer in The Swan: 19% of trips take under 15 minutes, below Co. Laois’ towns and Irish towns

2%walk, cycle or take transit

Unemployment runs at 11%. 58% of 15 to 64s were in work, below both Co. Laois’ towns (63%) and Irish towns (68%). On average, the journey to work lasts 33.8 min.

How working residents got to work · census 2022

Car or van89%

Walk1%

Train, DART or Luas1%

Census 2022	The Swan	Co. Laois	Ireland
Trips under 15 minutes	19%	37%	31%
In work, 15 to 64	58%	63%	68%
Average trip	33.8 min	30.4 min	27.6 min
Unemployment rate	11%	12%	9.2%

€51,150

household income, 2022 estimate · Co. Laois €59,521

worked mainly from home, 2022

14%

trips of an hour or more

3,032

on the Live Register, County Laois, September 2026

Full pageThe Swan’s work & commute pageOpen the full Work & commute page

Unemployment11% unemployed · Irish towns: 9.2%Getting to work2% walk, cycle or take transit Median income€51,150 a year · Median household income, before tax Benefits over time3,032 on the Live Register · −0.2% on a year earlier

CSO, Census 2022 travel to work, work and education · CSO Geographical Profiles of Income 2022 · Live Register · Census day was 3 April 2022, with working from home still common; shares are of those who travelled.

Who lives here

A town of families: 26% of people in The Swan are under 15, more than in Co. Laois’ towns or Irish towns

37.8median age

Daily Irish speakers outside school: 0.4%, close to Co. Laois’ towns (0.6%) and below Irish towns (1.1%). The 65-and-over age group makes up 14% of residents. Just over one in ten residents were born abroad.

The SwanCo. LaoisIreland

Co. LaoisIreland

Ages · share of residents

14%

Highest education · residents 15 and older who have finished education

Primary or none16%

Lower secondary24%

Leaving Cert29%

Diploma or cert5%

Degree or higher26%

Women and men · all residents

Women make up 48.0% of The Swan

132 women and 143 men live here; across Ireland, women are 50.6%.

Ages and education in The Swan
	The Swan	Co. Laois	Ireland
Under 15	26%	23%	20%
15–24	12%	13%	12%
25–44	27%	29%	29%
45–64	22%	24%	24%
65+	14%	10%	14%
Primary or none	16%	11%	9.7%
Lower secondary	24%	17%	14%
Leaving Cert	29%	41%	35%
Diploma or cert	5.3%	6.3%	5.8%
Degree or higher	26%	23%	36%

Full pageThe Swan’s Who lives here pageOpen the full Who lives here page

Ages37.8 median age · 14% are 65 or over Households96 households · 2.9 people per household Where born12% born outside Ireland Irish speakers41% can speak Irish · 0.4% speak Irish daily outside school

CSO, Census 2022 · Co. Laois and Ireland: the median of their towns of 2,500+

Town hall

6 councillors on Laois County Council and 3 TDs speak for The Swan

6/19seats held by Fianna Fáil

Laois County Council has no ruling majority: Fianna Fáil hold 6 of its 19 seats, short of the 10 needed. The Swan is run by Laois County Council, its only council: Ireland has one tier of local government. Just over half of voters turned out at the last local elections, near Co. Laois’ towns (51%) and higher than Irish towns (46%).

Seats on Laois County · June 2024

Fianna Fáil6

Fine Gael5

Independent5

Sinn Féin2

Labour Party1

Turnout	The Swan	Co. Laois	Ireland
Local elections, June 2024	51%	51%	46%
General election, November 2024	58%	58%	59%

Councillors

6/19

Fianna Fáil seats on Laois County, the largest party

51%

turnout, June 2024

TDs elected for Laois

Full pageThe Swan’s town hall & politics pageOpen the full Town hall & politics page

Who’s in chargeNo majority: Fianna Fáil lead with 6 of 19 (10 needed)Councillors6 councillors · Graiguecullen-Portarlington How The Swan votedLocal elections, June 2024 · Co. Laois towns 51%TDs3 TDs · Laois

Department of Housing count sheets, 2024

History

Inventory buildings in The Swan: 73 per 10,000 residents, against 79 in Co. Laois’ towns and 48 in Irish towns

2inventory buildings

3.2% of its homes were built before 1919, lower than both Co. Laois’ towns (5.1%) and Irish towns (3.4%). The national inventory of architectural heritage lists 2 buildings in The Swan, each rated of regional importance.

Buildings by NIAH rating · NIAH

International0

National0

Regional2

Among them

Fleming's Fireclays (kiln) 1930
Fleming's Fireclays (worker's house) 1935

sites on the Sites and Monuments Record

1930

earliest dated inventory building

Heritage	The Swan	Co. Laois	Ireland
Inventory buildings per 10,000 residents	73	79	48
Archaeological sites on the record	0	14	11

Full pageThe Swan’s history pageOpen the full History page

NIAH buildings2 buildings on the inventory Older homesIrish towns: 3%Monuments0 sites · On the Sites and Monuments Record Questions“How many historic buildings are there in The Swan?”

NIAH, the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage · Sites and Monuments Record · CSO, Census 2022 homes by year built

Keep exploring

Everything we know about The Swan

15pages on The Swan

The big questions

SafetyHousing & costProperty pricesSchoolsHealthWork & commuteNatural hazards6.4% of homes in high-radon areas

Out and about

OutdoorsAttractionsClimateWeather

The story

Who lives hereMedian age 37.8 History2 buildings on the National Inventory Town hallFamous people

Nearby attractions

Carlow Castle and 11 more within 40 km

Nothing to visit is mapped within 5 km of The Swan; these are the best known within 40 km.

All attractions →

CastleCarlow Castle16 km east

CastleKilkenny Castle27 km south

CathedralCathedral of the Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary16 km east

MuseumDunmore Cave18 km south

CastleBallyloughan Castle26 km east

CastleBallymoon Castle27 km southeast

Photos: each place’s Wikidata image, from Wikimedia Commons under the licence below (our copy, resized).

Photo credits (6)

Carlow Castle: Age Bosma, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons
Kilkenny Castle: Tolivero~commonswiki, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Cathedral of the Assumption of Blessed Virgin Mary: Joe Byrne, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons
Dunmore Cave: Jan-Philipp Litza, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Ballyloughan Castle: VisionsofthePast, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons
Ballymoon Castle: Poleary91, CC BY-SA 4.0, Wikimedia Commons

Famous people from around The Swan

No notable person born in The Swan is on our list; these were born in the towns around it.

How we find them →

Mabel CahillIrish tennis player (1863-1905) · born in Ballyragget

William Russell GraceAmerican politician (1832-1904) · born in Ballylinan

George Lyttleton RogersIrish tennis player (1906–1962) · born in Athy

Eric DonovanIrish boxer · born in Athy · born 1985

Mick DowlingIrish boxer · born in Castlecomer · born 1946

Richard PhelanCatholic bishop (1828–1904) · born in Ballyragget

Photo credits

George Lyttleton Rogers: Unknown (Bassano Ltd), Public domain · Eric Donovan: HuntGroup, CC BY-SA 4.0

About The Swan

Urban area in Co. Laois

275 people live in The Swan, in the area of Laois County Council. TownRatings uses the CSO’s 2022 Urban Areas as Ireland’s towns: the physical town, as people mean the word, rather than a county or a council area, so its figures cover the town itself.

Built from Tailte Éireann’s boundaries and the CSO’s Census 2022 (CC BY 4.0)

Population: 275 (CSO, Census 2022)
County: Laois
Council: Laois County Council
Local electoral area: Graiguecullen-Portarlington
Dáil constituency: Laois
Name in Irish: An Eala
Area: 0.1 sq mi (0.2 km²)
CSO code: UA:08164

The Swan’s neighbours

The nearest places of 1,000 or more. Boundaries: Tailte Éireann, CSO Urban Areas 2022 and Electoral Divisions.

BallylinanCastlecomerAbbeyleixStradballyBallyraggetAthyThe Swan

How the neighbours grade

Town	People	km	Overall	Cost	Safety	Health
The Swan	275	—	—	—	—	—
Ballylinan	1,167	9.8	—	A⁻	B⁺	C
Castlecomer Kilkenny	1,496	10	—	A	A	D
Abbeyleix	1,897	13	—	A⁻	A⁺	B⁺
Stradbally	1,404	14	—	A⁻	B⁻	D
Ballyragget Kilkenny	1,116	16	—	A⁻	A	C
Athy Kildare	11,035	16	C⁻	A	C	D

People: CSO, Census 2022. Distances: centre to centre.

Questions about The Swan

Is The Swan growing?

The Swan had 275 people at the 2022 census, up from 251 in 2016: 9.6% more, against 7.6% in the median of Irish towns.

Is The Swan a young town or an old one?

The median age in The Swan is 37.8, against 37.6 in the median of Irish towns.

Sources: CSO, Census 2022 Small Area Population Statistics (CC BY 4.0) · Tailte Éireann, Urban Areas and Electoral Divisions 2022 (CC BY 4.0). Under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).

Contains Central Statistics Office (CSO) data, Census 2022, and Tailte Éireann boundaries (CSO Urban Areas, Small Areas, local electoral areas, constituencies), under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 (CC BY 4.0).