Abbeyleix (Kilkenny part)

"Abbeyleix", a market and post-town, and a parish in the barony of Fassadining, county of Kilkenny, and partly in the barony of Maryborough-West, but chiefly in that of Cullinagh, Queen's County, and province of Leinster, 7 miles (S.S.E.) from Maryborough, and 47 1/2 miles (S.W.) from Dublin; containing 5990 inhabitants, of which 1009 are in the town. This place, called Clonkyne Leix, or De Lege Dei, was the site of a monastery founded about the year 600, but of which there is no further account till the year 1183, when it was refounded and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin by Conogher or Corcheger O'More, who placed in it monks of the Cisternian order from Baltinglass, in the county of Wicklow, and was himself interred within its precincts. The town is situated on the mail road from Dublin, through Athy, to Cashel, and containd about 140 houses, of which the greater number are neatly built. The parish comprises 11.974 statute acres, as applotted under the tithe act: there are about 400 acres of bog and 300 of woodland; the soil is in general light and sandy.

The parish church, recently erected, is a very handsome building, in the later English style, with a vaulted roof of stone and an elegant spire: the old church, which was endowed by Lord De Vesci, is not generally used. In the R. C. divisions this parish is partly in the diocese of Ossory, but chiefly in that of Leighlin; the former in the union or district of Ballyragget, and the latter the head of a district, comprising also the parish of Ballyroan, and containing a chapel in each.
[From A Topographical Dictionary of Ireland (1837)]