Munster

Munster [OIr. Mumu; ON staðir, steadings]. A province of Ireland occupying much of the south and south-west of the island, the largest (9,317 square miles) of the four, including Connacht, Leinster, and Ulster, whose borders were drawn in the 17th century. In pre-conquest Ireland, as Cóiced Muman, it was either one of five, when Mide/Meath was counted separately, or was divided into two provinces. Another division was into East Munster, Aurmumu [Ormond], and West Munster, Iarmumu or Irmumu, reflecting real political and geographical polarization; and in the 12th century an actual partition of the province took place between the O'Brien kingdom of North Munster, Tuadmuma [Thomond], and the MacCarthy kingdom of South Munster, Desmuma [Desmond]. Within its borders are the counties of Clare, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, and Waterford.

Much of the fortune of early Munster is tied to the great dynasty of the Eóganacht. Early medieval Munster had theoretically three capitals serving in rotation, Cashel in Tipperary, Glendamain in Cork, and Cnoc Áine in Limerick; Temair Luachra was a regional capital. Many territorial goddesses are linked to Munster, including Mór Muman (or Mugain (1)), Dígde, whose personality merges with a figure surviving much longer in popular tradition, the Cailleach Bhéirre, Áine, Aíbell, and Ana.