a post town of Ireland, in the county of Kildare and province of Leinster, 36 miles from Dublin. This town takes its name from a magnificent abbey which was founded here, in which St Evan in the beginning of the 7th century placed a number of monks from South Munster, and which had the privilege of being a sanctuary. St Evan's festival is held on the 22nd of December. The consecrated bell, which belonged to this saint, was on solemn trials sworn upon by the whole tribe of the Eoganachts, and was always committed to the care of the Mac Evans, hereditary chief justices of Munster; the abbot of this house sat as a baron in parliament.—At the general suppression of monasteries, this abbey was granted to George Lord Audley, who assigned it to Adam Loftus, vicount Ely. It afterwards came into the family of Moor, earls of Drogheda, and has been beautifully repaired by the present Lord Drogheda, still wearing the venerable appearance of an abbey. There is a nursery at Monasterevan for the charter schools of the province of Leinster; and the grand canal has been carried up to this town from Dublin, since which it has been much improved and enlarged with several new buildings. It is a market-town, and also holds four fairs in the year.