Ирландияның Страдбалли қаласы: Бу және музыка фестивалінің мекені

Town in County Laois, Ireland

Stradbally is a town in County Laois, Ireland.

It is located in the midlands of Ireland along the N80 road, about from Portlaoise and from Dublin. It is known for its annual Steam Rally and the Electric Picnic music festival.

The history of Stradbally dates to the 6th century. Samuel Lewis's Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (published in 1837) records that the parish at that time contained "2392 inhabitants, of which number, 1799 are in the town".

On 2 July 1903 the Gordon Bennett Cup ran through Stradbally. It was the first international motor race to be held in Ireland. Kildare was chosen at least partly on the grounds that the straightness of the roads would be a safety benefit. As a compliment to Ireland, the British team chose to race in Shamrock green which thus became known as British racing green. Among the residents, 62% are able to speak Irish.

Stradbally is known for its Steam Rally, an annual gathering of enthusiasts of steam powered vehicles, held in the grounds of the Cosby estate at Stradbally Hall every August bank holiday weekend. It is the oldest steam rally in Ireland and is supported by the Irish Steam Preservation Society. Traction engines and other steam powered vehicles are brought to the rally and displayed and demonstrated, and a steam railway offers rides along a short track. Harold Condell and several others co founded the Irish Steam Preservation Society. It also operates narrow gauge steam railway in the grounds of Stradbally Hall. There is also a Steam Museum in Stradbally Town. Stradbally is steeped in steam history since the post industrial revolution. Steam traction engines were in abundance in Stradbally after the turn of the last century. Families who had threshing sets and steam engines included the Fennelly family of Market Square, Farrelly family, Cole's of Riverside, Condell's of Old Mills (Whitefields), and one family which is still keeping the tradition going are the Deegan's of Kylebeg and now Brockley whom to this day perform the annual threshing at the Steam Rally.

Close to the area where the annual rally is held is a Steam railway which is operated by volunteers of the Irish Steam Preservation Society. It began with the acquisition, in 1966, of one of the Guinness company's steam engines, No 15 built in 1895 along with a few coaches. In 1969 it was replaced by a then surplus steam locomotive, part of BNM's failed experiment in Steam Traction, No2/LM44, built in 1949. The line was changed to 3ft narrow gauge and has been steadily expanded to a balloon loop since. It has since acquired several diesel locomotives. ESB Ruston, Serial 326052, No 4, affectionately known as "Rusty" is the railway's Permanent Way locomotive and supplants No 2 from time to time and Planet, works no. 2014 "Nippy", the oldest operational Diesel locomotive in Ireland. The railway also showcases a 1949 built Andrew Barclay 0 4 0WT No 2/LM44, nicknamed "Róisín". The railway runs every bank holiday weekend throughout the year.

The Electric Picnic is an annual arts and music festival which has been staged in late August / early September since 2004 at Stradbally Hall in Stradbally. It is organised by Pod Concerts and Festival Republic. The Electric Picnic won eight awards in Hot Press's 2011 Festival Awards, including 'Best Large Festival'. In 2023, it was awarded 'Festival of the Year' in the Ticketmaster Awards.

The Catholic Church of the Sacred Heart is a Gothic Revival church which was completed in 1896 to a cruciform plan. It was designed by William Hague.

Local sports clubs include Stradbally GAA club (the local GAA club), and Stradbally Town A. F. C. (an association football (soccer) club).