MONASTEREVIN

In 1868, the parish of Monasterevin contained the following places:

"MONASTEREVIN, a parish, post and market town, in the barony of West Offaly, county Kildare, province of Leinster, Ireland, 5 miles W. of Kildare, and 38 from Dublin. It is a station on the Great Southern and Western railway. The parish is 4½ miles long, and its extreme breadth about the same. The surface lies along the river Barrow, here spanned by two bridges, and the Grand canal. The land, which is boggy towards the E., consists of a soil varying in quality. Moore Abbey, founded on the site of the old priory, is the seat of the Marquis of Drogheda, to whom the town belongs. The town, which it situated on the Grand canal and the road from Dublin to Limerick, consists principally of one short street. It contains a market-house, good hotel, Church Education and National schools, and a dispensary within the Athy poor-law union. The principal trade of the place is derived from a large distillery. Here is a police station, and petty sessions are held every other Friday. The living is a perpetual curacy in the diocese of Kildare, united with Harristown, value £366, in the patronage of the bishop and Marquis of Drogheda alternately. The church stands in the town and was built in 1772 by the Marquis of Drogheda. It has lately been enlarged. There are a Roman Catholic chapel, two Methodist-meeting-houses, a Sunday and several day schools.

"MOORE ABBEY, a seat of the Marquis of Drogheda, in the parish of Monasterevin, barony of West Offaly, county Kildare, 5 miles W. of Kildare. It is situated near the river Barrow and Grand canal, and was built on the site of St. Abpan's monastery, founded in the 12th century by the O'Dempseys, and given on the suppression of religious houses to the Audleys."

[Transcribed from The National Gazetteer of Great Britain and Ireland 1868]
by Colin Hinson ©2018