Abbeyleix

Abbeyleix is a civil parish for which some townlands are located in County Kilkenny.

Abbeyleix town is approx 14km south of Portlaoise town (aka Maryborough) and takes its name from a Cistercian Abbey founded here and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin in 1183 by Conor O'More. Abbeyleix is a pretty town with some nice old structures remaining, it has a nice little town 'square' in which country markets are held regularly. Abbeyleix main street is part of the Dublin to Cork road and Abbeyleix can be a bit of a bottle neck to get through!

There was a Brigidine Convent in Abbeyleix until a number of years ago and what was the school gym is is now the only remnant of the Convent. There is a graveyard attached to the Roman Catholic Chapel and a famine memorial graveyard (with no stones),Workhouse 'graveyard' photo. There is also a Protestant Church, graveyard and national school

Abbeyleix is also the name given to a district called the Poor Law Union which would have taken in all townlands in an approximate 10 mile radius of the town. The de Vesci estate is not open to the general public.

In the Church of Ireland, Abbeyleix, Aughmacart, Ballinakill, Ballyroan, Durrow & Killermogh are part of Abbeyleix & Killermogh Church of Ireland Parish

Abbeyleix Civil Parish, description Samuel Lewis Topographical Dictionary of Ireland, 1837

Abbeyleix Roman Catholic Parish Records available on microfilm

Baptisms: June 6th, 1824-August 23rd, 1830
Jan 19th, 1838-Dec 1849
April 6th, 1850-Jan 5th 1879
Jan 6th, 1878-Dec 5th, 1880
Marriages : July 2nd, 1824-July 28th, 1830
Jan 30th, 1838-Nov 22nd, 1880 2nd
NLI Pos#4199

Abbeyleix & Ballyroan Roman Catholic (R.C.) Parish Baptismal index June-Aug 1824

Abbeyleix R.C. Baptismal Index (Misc. surnames) 1825-1830

Links - Abbeyleix
Abbeyleix Architecture
Abbeyleix Heritage House
Abbeyleix Golf Club

Ireland Genealogy (Y-IRL) : A Yahoo group dealing with Irish genealogy, history, folklore - pretty much what you find on this web site, created in 2001, and administered by the owner of the From Ireland web site.
Y-IRL Research List on Bob's Ireland-Scotland Genealogy Site
Bob's Genealogy Home Page - Laois information

Valuation Office - Dublin. On this site you can see and download some copies of the maps as used for the Griffiths Valuation of Ireland
General Registrar's Office of Ireland - Dublin
National Archives - Dublin (PRO)
National Library - Dublin
Land Registry & Registry of Deeds Office

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