Aghaboe is a village and parish in County Laois, Republic of Ireland. It is located in the rural hinterland west of the town of Abbeyleix. Statistics Province: Leinster County Town: Portlaoise Code: LS Area: 1,719 km² Population (2006) 69,012 Website: www. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 52. ...
The parish comprises the civil parishes of Bordwell and Kylermough, in their entirity; the town and Coolacurragh in the parish of Coolkerry; all of the civil parish of Aghaboe lying in Clarmallough; and the parish of Kyledellig, except for about 100 acres.
Previous to 1855, the portion of the civil parish situated in the Barony of Clandonnagh, included moreover, the portion of the civil parish of Aghaboe situated in the Barony of Clandonnagh which with the 100 acres above of Kyledellig, became in that year the new parish of Borris-in-Ossary. The present area of the parish is 19,610 statute acres.
St. Canice or Kenny, was founder of the Abbey and patron of the parish of Aghaboe was in 515 or 516 born at Glengiven in what is now County Londonderry. Among the monks from the Abbey is St. Virgilius [Feargal or Farrell] "The Geometer" who built the Cathedral at Salzburg, Austria, in 774 A.D. and who died in Nov. 27th, 784. He was canonized in 1233. Saint Canice (born c. ...
The name is generally to be found spelled as Aghaboe or Aughavoe in literature Saint Canice is the patron saint of this parish because of his connection to the Abbey in Aghaboe.
Aghaboe translates as 'Ox's Field' and it is said to have been good pastureland for cattle, there were some lands near the church of Aghaboe which claimed exemption from tithes and ewes were brought there to yean as a means of avoiding payment of these taxes.
Aghaboe is located at the base of the Slieve Bloom Mountains in Laois, and currently the most well known physical feature of this parish is Grantstown Lake (or Lough) and the Woods associated with it.