Visit billionaire’s Laois manor as John Collison opens Abbeyleix Estate for charity Christmas market

The estate is owned by billionaire Stripe co-founder John Collison, who purchased the stately manor last year.

Organisers said the market will have “something for everyone, young and old”.

The event will be held on Saturday, December 3, from 11am to 4pm, and will include a Santa’s Grotto, however, tickets for the Grotto have already sold out.

The organisers of the event said admission to the Christmas market is still available, with tickets for sale on Eventbrite.com.

A “courtesy bus” will be available to transport attendees from Abbeyleix Town to the grounds on the day of the event, while parking passes are available for eligible disabled and age-friendly visitors.

“Enter our magical courtyard here at Abbeyleix House and Farm where we have gathered a variety of local craft and food vendors for you and your family to come together in festive cheer. Whether it’s a gift for granny, an old friend, or two, our vendors are sure to tempt you and your shopping list with all they have to offer,” a spoksperson for Abbeyleix House and Farm said.

“Enjoy soft, jolly sounds of our carol singers, singing festive music as you sip on a complimentary hot drink and take a stroll around the market or out to the paddocks, where you might meet some of our friendly furry friends.”

Tickets for the market cost €10 for adults and €5 for children, while there is no charge for children under two years.

All proceeds from the event will be donated to St.Lazarians SVP Conference and My Lovely Horse Rescue.

The Abbey Leix Estate in County Laois, an 18th century classical mansion, comes with 1,120 acres and includes a large area of ancient native woodland.

The estate was purchase by the Limerick native tech mogul John Collision last summer, for an estimated €20 million.

Abbeyleix is an hour from Mr Collison’s childhood home and an hour to Stripe’s Dublin headquarters.

The property, owned by the de Vesci family for three hundred years before being acquired by the British engineer and businessman Sir David Davies in 1995, has the oldest surviving oak tree in Ireland. It also has a stud farm, a quadrangle and a clock tower.

The main house, designed in 1773 by the architect James Wyatt, is one of Ireland’s largest, with nine bedrooms, 10 bathrooms, 117 windows and interior space of 27,000 square feet. It also has 10 estate houses and cottages.

Mr Collison co-founded the online payments company Stripe with his brother Patrick in 2010.

Earlier this month the brothers announced that roughly 1,000 jobs worldwide would be cut, telling staff the business had “overhired for the world we’re in” as inflation rocks the post-pandemic recovery.