Oughaval Church
Ruins of an old monastery surrounded by graveyard overlooking lands of Laois just next to town of Stradbally.
St Colman mac Ua Laoighse founded a monastery here in 6th century but no remains of the of the foundation survived. St Colman was a follower of St Fintan of Clonenagh and St Columba of Iona before establishing his own monastery. The 'Lebor na Nuachongbala', or Book of Oughaval was kept here for many centuries and was later renamed the book of Leinster. Host of medieval Irish manuscript compiled in 1160 and now kept in Trinity Collage Dublin describing one of the most important sources of medieval Irish literature, genealogy, mythology containing Lebor Gabala Erenn (The Book of Invasions) and the most complete version of Tain Bo Cuailnge (The Cattle RAid of Cooley) and others.