Desmond: signifying "South Munster."

The principality which was divided into three portions from the whole of Ivelagh or Evaugh, and also that called Bear, are included in the modern county of Cork. The ancient name from Bear, being divided into the baronies of Bear and Bantry and Evaugh, in the Barony of West Carberry with ancient East Carberry, Kinalmeaky, and Ibawn or Ibane and Barrymore. Desmond was an ancient territorial division of Ireland approximating the modern counties of Kerry and Cork. Gaelic Desmond extended over the modern County Kerry south of the River Maine and over the modern County Cork west and north of the city of Cork. Early peoples of the area included the

• Érainn
• Corca Duibhne
• Corca Loigde
• Ui Fidgente
• Obraigne
• Ciarraige Luachra The Kings of Cruachan/Connacht
• septs of the Eoganachta / The Eugenians

Anglo-Norman Desmond extended over north Kerry from the River Maine, over most of the modern county of Limerick, southwest Tipperary, east and south County Cork, and east Waterford. Desmond was MacCarthy territory from as early as A.D. 150. In 1329 Maurice Fitzgerald was created earl of Desmond, and his descendants became almost independent rulers during the 15th century Septs of Desmond: deriving its name from its Chieftain, Carbry Riada, and in which are said to have been settled four of the eight families of royal extraction of Munster, the head of one of which was McCarty Reagh, sometimes styled prince of Carberry. To the north of the Blackwater, formed, before the English conquests, a principality of the O'Keefes, called Fearmuigh. The north-western extremity of the county, forming the present Barony of Duhallow, is in some old writings called Alla and Dubh Alla; and its Chief, who, to a very late period, enjoyed almost regal authority, was sometimes styled prince of Duhallow 2 great branches of Desmond the head of which was MacCarthy Mór: of whom Donal MacCarthy was, A.D. 1565, created earl of Glencare or Clancare, by Queen Elizabeth; the other branch, called MacCarthy Reagh, were styled princes of Carbery. Besides the earls of Clancare, the MacCarthys were also created at various periods barons of Valentia, earls of Clancarty, earls of Muskerry, and earls of Mount Cashel; and, had several strong castles in various parts of Cork and Kerry. There are still in the counties of Cork and Kerry many highly respectable families of the MacCarthys; and several of the names have been distinguished commanders in the Irish Brigades in the service of France and Spain

 

Old and respectable families in the county Cork

Chief of Glean Omra, in the Barony of Duhallow, and a branch of the MacCarthys. Their Chief seate was Castle MacAuliffe, near Newmarket. O'Tedgamna was another ancient Chief of this territory

Anglicized O'Barry, Chief of Muintir Baire, part of ancient Carbery in the county Cork and also Chief of Aron. This family was of the Ithian or Lugadian race

Chief of Beanthraidhe, now the Barony of Bantry

(this name "Breoghan" is considered the root of Brown), O'Glaisin (Glashan, or Gleeson), O'Mictyre and O'Keely were Chiefs of Hy-Mac-Caille, now the Barony of "Imokilly," in the county Cork. O'Mictyre; this surname ("mactire:" Irish, "a wolf") has been Anglicized Wolfe

Chief of Beara, and of Kinalea, in the county Cork. Cromwell, who gave him at Killarney considerable property, in lieu of his ancient estates, transplanted the Chief of this family into Clare. A branch of this family (who are of the Eugenian race) is now viscounts of Lismore

Chief of a territory near Mitchelstown, in the county Cork

of Fuin Cleena, Chief of Triocha Meona, now the Barony of West Barryroe, in the county Cork. These once powerful Chiefs had seven castles along the coast, in the Barony of Ibawne and Barryroe

Chiefs of Kilshallow, west of Bandon, and originally a clan from Connaught

Chief of Ciarraidhe Cuire, now the Barony of "Kerrycurrehy," in the county Cork

bard to MacCarthy, O'Mahony, Carews, and other great families. The O'Dalys were emninent poets in Munster

Chief of "Muscry of the three Plains," now the half Barony of Orrery, in the county Cork. O'Cullenan was Chief on the same territory, and was hereditary physician of Munster

Chief of Duhalla, now the Barony of Duhallow, in the county Cork. The MacDonoghs of Munster were a branch of the MacCarthys, and were styled princes of Duhallow; their Chief residence was the magnificent castle of Kanturk

Also mentioned in Thomond, settled in Cork, and was Chiefs of Clan Cathail, in West Carbery

Head of the Ithian race, Chief or prince of Corcaluighe, called Cairbreacha, comprising the ancient extensive territory of Carbery, in the southwest of Cork. The O'Driscolls were Lords of Beara, before the O'Sullivans in after times became possessors of that territory

(anglicised "Mac Egan") was hereditary Brehon or judge in the counties of Cork and Kerry, under the MacCarthys, kings of Desmond. The MacEgans were also hereditary Brehons of Ormond

A Chief in West Barryroe

Chief of Arda (a territory in the Barony of Carbery), and Hy-Baghamna, now the Barony of "Ibane" and Barryroe, adjoins Carbery. The O'Flynns built the castle of Macroom

Are mentioned among the families of Thomond; they were also Chiefs of Carbery, county Cork

Chief of Domhnach-Mór-O'Healy or Pobal O'Healy, a parish in the Barony of Muskerry, county Cork

Chief of Glen Avon and of Urluachra. Glen Avon is now called Glanworth, a place in the Barony of Fermoy, county Cork. This family had afterwards a large territory in the Barony of Duhallow, known as "Pobal O'Keeffe." In ancient times the O'Keeffes, the O'Dugans, and O'Cosgraves, were Chiefs in Fearmuighe Feiné; now the Barony of Fermoy; which was afterwards possessed by the family of Roche, viscounts of Fermoy, and called "Roche's Country." The O'Keeffes at one time were marshals and military leaders in Desmond, and were styled princes of Fermoy

Chiefs of Hy-Floinn, near Kinsale, in the county Cork

Chief of Hy-Laoghaire or "Iveleary," and Iveleary, or "O'Leary's Country," lay in Muskerry, in the county Cork, between Macroom and Inchageela

Lord of Hy-Lehan and Hy-Namcha, afterwards called the Barony of Barrymore, from the family of the Barrys, who became its possessors. Castle Lehan, now Castlelyons, was the Chief seate of this family

Chief of Ivaugh, and Kinalmeaky. The O'Mahonys also possessed the territory of Cinal Aodha (now the Barony of "Kinalea"), and a territory in Muskerry, south of the river Lee; both in the county Cork; and another territory called Tiobrad, in the county Kerry. They were sometimes styled princes; and possessed several castles, as those of Rosbrin, Ardintenant, Blackcastle, Ballydesmond, Dunbeacan, Dunmanus, Ringmahon, etc.- all along the seacoast

Chief of Muscry Trehirne

(originally from Wexford), a clan in Muskerry

Chief of Tullaleis and Castlelissen, now the parish of Tullilease, in the Barony of Duhallow, county Cork

A clan of note in Muskerry; and distinguished military Chiefs in ancient times

The ancient territory of Beara, now the baronies of Beare and Bantry in the county Cork; and were called O'Sullivan Beara, and styled princes of Beara. Another branch of the family, called O'Sullivan Mór, were Lords of Dunkerron, and possessed the Barony of Dunkerron, in the county Kerry; and their Chief seate was the castle of Dunkerron, near the river Kenmare. A third branch of the O'Sullivans was a Chief of Knockraffan, in Tipperary. The O'Sullivans are of the Eugenian race, of the same descent as the MacCarthys, princes of Desmond; and took their name from Suileabhan, one of their Chiefs in the tenth century. In the reign of James the First, their extensive possessions were confiscated, in consequence of their adherence to the earls of Desmond and Tyrone in the Elizabethan wars; and the heads of the family retired to Spain, where many of them were distinguished officers in the Spanish service, and had the title of Counts of Bearhaven

This family was a warlike clan, brought from Connaught in the fifteenth century by the Fitzgeralds, Earls of Desmond, who appointed them their body- guards. Some of them changed the name to "Joy;" and of this family was the Irish judge, Baron Joy. They are considered to be originally the same as the Joyces of Connemara-- a race of men of tall and manly stature. The MacSheehys and O'Hallinans were Chiefs of Ballyhallinan, in the parish of Poblebrien, county Limerick; and the O'Hallorans were Chiefs of Faith-Ui Hallurain. a district between Tulla and Clare, in the county Clare

Military commanders under the MacCarthys, who, in the thirteenth century, brought a body of them from Tirconnell or Donegal, where they were celebrated as Chiefs under the O'Donnells; and hence the head of the clan was styled MacSuibhnena-dTuadh or MacSweeney of the Battle Axes. In Munster, the MacSweeneys had the parish of Kilmurry, in the Barony of Muskerry, and had their Chief castle at Clodagh, near Macroom, and had also Castlemore in the parish of Movidy

Chief of Magh O g-Coinchinn, now the Barony of "Magonihy," in Kerry. These O'Connells were a branch of the O'Connells of Thomond; descended from Conaire the Second, the 111th Monarch of Ireland. O'Leyne or Lane, Chief of Hy-Fearba; and O'Duividin, Chief of Hy-Flannain: districts in the county Kerry

King or prince of Kerry, was descended from Ciar, of the Irian race already mentioned; and took the name from Con, one of their Chiefs, in the eleventh century, and from Ciar, their great ancestor; thus making the word "Conciar" "Conior," or Conchobbar, anglicised "Conner" (See No. 103, page 331). From a portion of the ancient inheritance of this family the present Barony of Iraghticonnor takes its name

(of the same race as O'Donoghoe), Chief of Clan Shalvey (a quo Shelly); comprising the district called Iveleary, and a great portion of Muskerry

Of the Eugenian race, and Chief of Lough Lein; a branch of this familywas the O'Donoghoe Mór, Lord of Glenfesk or O'Donoghoe of the Glen

Chief of Slieve Luachra, now Slievlogher, on the borders of Limerick and Kerry

An ancient family in Kerry, from whom the parish of Ballymacelligott, in the Barony of Troughenackmy, got its name. From MacElligott the name of "MacLeod" was said to be derived; but "MacLeod" is of Scotch origin

Chief of Corca Duibhne (now the Barony of "Corcaguiney"), and Lord of Iveragh: both in the county Kerry. The O'Falveys were hereditary admirals of Desmond

Also clans of note in Kerry

(a branch of the O'Sullivans) were Chiefs of a territory in the Barony of Dunkerron: from this family the Mac Gillicuddy's Reeks in Kerry got their name: and some of this family anglicised the name "Archdeacon."

and O'Hinnesvan (or Hinson), Chief of Aos Aisde of Orlar Eltaigh, a district which comprised the parish of Templence, in the Barony of Dunkerron

Chief of Clar Ciarraidhe or the Plain of Kerry

Chief of Iveragh