a fair and post town of Ireland, in the county of Meath and province of Leinster, 31 miles from Dublin. It is a borough likewise, and returns two members to parliament; patron earl of Bective. This place gives title of viscount to the family of Cholmondeley. Near it is Headfort, the magnificent seat of Lord Bective. This town is pleasantly situated on the river Blackwater, and has four fairs. It was anciently called Kenanus, and afterwards Kenlis. In former ages it was one of the most famous cities in the kingdom; and on the arrival of the English was walled and fortified with towers. In 1178 a castle was erected where the market place now is; and opposite to the castle was a croft of an entire house, ornamented with bas-relief figures and many curious inscriptions in the ancient Irish character. Within a small distance was the church of St Senan; and on the south of the churchyard is a round tower which measures 99 feet from the ground, the roof ending in a point; and near the top were four windows opposite to the cardinal points. There was a celebrated monastery founded here in 550 for regular canons, and dedicated to the Virgin Mary. It owed its origin to St Columb, to whom the site of the abbey was granted by Dermot Mac Carval, or Dermot the son of Kerwail king of Ireland. An episcopal see was afterwards erected here, which in the 13th century was united to that of Meath. A priory or hospital was also erected by Walter de Lacie, lord of Meath, in the reign of Richard I., for croft-bearers or crouched friars following the order of St Augustin. There was likewise a perpetual chantry of three priests or chaplains in the parish-church of St Columb in Kells to celebrate mass daily; one in the Rood chapel, another in St Mary's chapel, and a third in the chapel of St Catherine the virgin.

KELLS is also the name of a village, being a post and fair town in the county of Kilkenny, 64 miles from Dublin. It is an ancient place, situated on Kings rivers; and was noted for a priory of Augustines, built and richly endowed by Geoffroy Fitz-Roberts, who came came into this kingdom with Strongbow. The prior of this place had the title of lord spiritual, and as such sat in the house of peers before the Reformation; the ruins only of this abbey now remain: a synod was held in it anno 1152, when John Paparo, legate from Rome, made one of the number of bishops that were convened there at that time to settle the affairs of the church. The present church is built in the Gothic manner. Fairs held 13th July.

There is a third place of the above name, situated in the county of Antrim and province of Ulster, 89 miles from Dublin, near which are the ruins of a church: this place is but a small village, seated on a river of the same name, over which it has a bridge.