The yard.
The story.

The Railway Yard Sauna is a wood-fired sauna and cold plunge experience located in the former railway yard in Abbeyleix, Co. Laois.

For many years this part of the town lay largely forgotten. Once part of Abbeyleix railway station, the yard was a working space where trains were maintained and repaired, before the CIÉ closed the line in 1963. Today, it is being brought back to life in a new way.

The project has been shaped by a desire to make use of what is already here. Reclaimed pitch pine salvaged from buildings on the site has been carefully restored by hand. This timber will be used throughout the yard, from fencing to cladding, giving new purpose to materials that might otherwise have been lost. Its character has informed everything from the design of the changing rooms to the signage and branding.

Set against a woodland backdrop, The Railway Yard Sauna offers a simple experience. Somewhere to recover after training, unwind after work, or spend time with friends.

Above all, it is an effort to breathe new life into a historic corner of Abbeyleix while creating something that can be enjoyed by the community for years to come.