Monasterevin (Walsh)

The following is from Fr. Thomas Walsh's History of the Irish Hierarchy, published in New York in 1854, chapter xlviii, at p. 488-9:

Monasterevin in the barony of Offaley St Abban founded this monastery to which was annexed the privilege of a sanctuary Abban was of a Leinster family This monastery is supposed to have taken its name from its position as it was contiguous to the river Barrow the Irish word Abhan meaning a river AD 1178 Dermod O Dempsey prince of Offaley founded the Cistercian abbey of Monasterevin de Rosea valle under the invocation of the Virgin Mary and richly endowed it AD 1199 the abbot John was appointed bishop of Leighlin AD 1297 the abbot accused of harboring Irish felons plunderers and robbers of Offaley into his house appeared and pleaded that his monastery was situated in the marches and out of the pale and that he never knowingly received any persons of this stamp The jury however admitting that he had not voluntarily harbored such men nor had the power of resisting or detaining them fined him half a marc because he did not raise the hue and cry The abbot of Monasteverin sat as a baron in parliament At the general suppression this abbey was granted to George lord Audley who assigned it to Adam Loftus viscount Ely It has finally fallen into the hands of the earl of Drogheda by whom it has been modernised still retaining its venerable monastic appearance and is at present known as Moore abbey