Abbeyleix derives its name from 'The Abbey of Leix' which probably refers to the Cistercian Abbey founded in 1183 following a grant of lands by Conor O' More, clan chieftain of the dominant O'More tribe, who were to prove a thorn in the sides of the Norman invader and would laterally prove no less of a thorn in the sides of successive 'would be conquorers'. Agruably the last uprising in Ireland to be led by an indigenious tribal chieftain took place in 1599, just three miles from Abbeyleix, at 'The Pass of the Plumes'(Bearna na gCletí) where Owney O' More took on the might of the Earl of Essex, (Robert Devereaux) and gave him a bloody nose, the precursor to a somewhat more serious condition which saw him lose his head.

The Heritage Centre, which opened in 1997,was established as part of a local initiative to gain 'Heritage Town of Ireland' status for the historic town of Abbeyleix The Heritage Town project was very much a community initiative which had strong local support along with financial support from Bórd Fáilte ( Fáilte Ireland), Laois Co. Council and Laois LEADER Rural Development Company and the local community.

Today, with the support of funding from the Department of Comunity Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs through its Community Services Programme, the Heritage Centre is open daily Mon -Fri year round and additionally from 1-5 on Sat/Sun from May to September as a resource for the community and for visitors to the town of Abbeyleix and the County of Laois.