Munster

Munster an Mhumhain / Cúige Mumhan
Flag
Location of Munster
State	Ireland
Counties	Clare Cork Kerry Limerick Tipperary Waterford
Government
- Teachta Dála	22 Fianna Fáil TDs 17 Fine Gael TDs 5 Labour Party TDs 2 Independent TDs 1 Sinn Féin TD
Area
- Total	24,607.52 km2 (15,290.40 sq mi)
Population (2006)
- Total	1,172,170

Munster (Irish: an Mhumhain / Cúige Mumhan — pronounced [ənˈvuːnʲ]) is a province of Ireland, located in the south-west of the island. The province is not used as an administration division as such, with the counties filling that role. Much of the area aside from Clare is represented internationally by the South constituency of the European Parliament. The province is of ancient origin and continues as a cultural region forming a strong part of local identity. Geographically Munster covers a total area of 15,290 square miles (39,600 km²) and the most populated city is Cork.

In the early centuries AD Munster was the domain of the Iverni and other peoples. During the Early Middle Ages most of the area was part of the Kingdom of Munster, ruled by the famous Eóganachta, who succeeded the Dáirine and Corcu Loígde overlords from the 7th century onwards, beginning with the notable career of Faílbe Flann mac Áedo Duib. Notable regional kingdoms were Iarmuman (West Munster), Osraige (Ossory), Uí Liatháin, Uí Fidgenti, Corcu Duibne, and Déisi Muman. By the 9th century the Gaels had been joined by Norse Vikings who founded towns such as Cork, Waterford and Limerick. Around this period Ossory broke away from Munster. The following century saw the rise of the Dál gCais (Dalcassians) who annexed Thomond, north of the Shannon to Munster. Their leaders were the O'Briens and spawned Brian Bóruma, perhaps the most noted High King of Ireland. By 1118 Munster had fractured into the Kingdom of Thomond, Kingdom of Desmond and the short-lived Kingdom of Ormond.

There was Norman influence from the 14th century, due to adventuring of the FitzGerald, de Clare and Butler houses, two of whom carved out earldoms within the Lordship of Ireland. The O'Brien of Thomond and MacCarthy of Desmond surrendered and regranted sovereignty to the Tudors in 1543 and 1565, joining the Kingdom of Ireland. Much of the area was hit hard in the Great Hunger, especially the west. After the kingdom was merged into the United Kingdom, there was a war in the 20th century resulting in secession of the Irish Free State. There was a brief Munster Republic during the Irish Civil War, soon defeated by the Irish Army — the Free State became a republic in 1937.

The culture of Munster features prominently in the overall culture of Ireland. The area is famed for Irish traditional music, especially in County Clare where the Willie Clancy Summer School is held. Munster has a strong sporting heritage, being the birthplace of the modern Gaelic games, especially hurling — the provincial rugby union side Munster Rugby are a prominent identity symbol and are amongst the elite of Europe. There are many ancient castles and monasteries in the province; this coupled with the vast green countryside and three cities makes it a feature of the tourism industry. A 5th century bishop named Ailbe is the patron saint of Munster.

An ancient and frequently remarked upon feature of the spiritual life of Munster is the number of celebrated and notorious goddesses the province claims: Anann, Áine, Grian, Clídna, Aimend, Mór Muman, Bébinn, Aibell, and the infamous Queen Mongfind. Each is historically associated with certain septs of the nobility, but these relationships are not exclusive and many commoners have greatly enjoyed their company when offered. Several are known into modern times.

History

The name is derived from the Celtic goddess, Muma. The province was once divided into six regions: Tuadh Mhuman (North Munster), Deas Mhuman (South Munster), Urh Mumhan (East Munster), Iar mumhan (West Munster), Ernaibh Muman (the Ernai tribe's portion of Munster), and Deisi Muman (the Deisi tribe's portion of Munster). Ultimately, these were all subsumed into the kingdoms of Thomond (North Munster), Desmond (South Munster), and Ormond (East Munster), all of which were eventually subsumed by surrender and regrant as Earldoms in the Peerage of Ireland. The names exist only indirectly today, particularly in the case of Thomond. The three crowns represent these three kingdoms. This flag can easily be confused with the flag of Dublin which has three castles in a similar pattern on a blue background; it also resembles the lesser coat-of-arms of Sweden, the Three Crowns.

In 1841 before the Great Famine, there were just under three million people living in the province of Munster, but the population dropped devastatingly low due to mass emigration in the 1840s and continued emigration up until the 1980s.

For 30 days during the Irish Civil War, the province of Munster broke away from^{[citation needed]} the Irish Free State and established the Munster Republic in opposition to the acceptance of the Anglo-Irish Treaty. The Munster Republic was short lived and subsequently crushed by heavily-armed Irish Free State forces.

Counties

It comprises the counties of:

Cities

Cork is the largest city conurbation, which has a population of 190,384 (2006) and 380,000 within the Greater Cork Area.^[2]

Other important cities are Limerick (90,757) and Waterford (49,213).

Large towns over 7,000

In order of size of population

• Ennis (24,253)
• Douglas, County Cork (23,193)*
• Tralee (22,190)
• Killarney (16,931)
• Clonmel (16,910)
• Carrigaline (16,664)*
• Ballincollig (16,339)*
• Ballycummin (16,279)**
• Glanmire (15,498)*
• Cobh (12,887)*
• Ballysimon (11,260)**
• Mallow (11,195)
• Kilrush (11,194)
• Midleton (10,336)*
• Shannon/Clenagh (9,774)
• Lehenagh (9,435)*
• Dungarvan (9,254)
• Nenagh (9,219)
• Thurles (8,987)
• Tramore (8,799)
• Caherdavin (7,248)**
• Youghal (7,195)
• Rathcooney (7,141)*
• Newcastle West (7,075)

(* towns/suburbs in the Metropolitan Cork area) (** suburbs in the Limerick urban area)

• (All figures - 2006 Census)

Economy

The province of Munster contributes 40 billion euro (US$52.57bn) to Irish GDP (25% of total Irish GDP) (2004) (greater than the Economy of Northern Ireland 37.3bn euro).^[3] Munster also is wealthier than Slovenia (pop. 2m), Lithuania (pop. 3.5m), Latvia (pop. 2.5m) and Kenya (pop. 35m). Munster is the home to many modern capital intensive, highly productive private sector enterprises.

The Economy of Cork and Economy of Limerick are the main engines of the province's economy. The Cork harbour area was the centre of Ireland's heavy industry manufacturing sector. Cork had a steel mill, a shipyard, a car assembly plant, a tyre plant, a deep harbour, and a thriving textile sector in the mid twentieth century. However heavy taxes, excessive regulation, competition from larger centres of economic activity, and the sudden removal of protective tarifs upon membership of the European Economic Community caused a decline in the 1970s. Cork was Ireland's rust belt city in the 1980s, as heavy industry moved out, and newer sectors tried to get established in as unemployment peaked.

Munster was the home of 'The Munster and Leinster Bank', which is parent of Ireland's richest and largest bank Allied Irish Bank. Cork, in Munster, is also home of the two largest Irish owned retailing organizations, Dunnes Stores, and the Musgrave Group. Cork is also home to two of the three Irish stout brands; Murphy's Irish stout, and Beamish, as well as the 'Paddy' brand of Irish whiskey.

Shannon airport, a rich music tradition, the best food from land and sea, and landscapes of international renown, have all been influential in the development of the tourist sector in Munster.

Power generation

The majority of the Republic's power stations are located in Munster.

Ireland's only oil refinery and oil storage facility is still located at Whitegate.

The majority of Ireland's gas production comes from Kinsale Head in County Cork, from where it is transported by pipeline across the country.

I.T. & pharmaceutical industry

Munster is one of Ireland's most important I.T. hubs with such multinationals as Apple, Intel, Amazon and Dell locating in the province. The Atlantic Quarter in Cork is a new plan to create a smaller version of Dublin's IFSC in Cork docklands. In Kerry, FEXCO Financial Services in Killorglin is a foreign exchange and global payments group.^[4]

Munster has developed into the centre of Ireland's pharmaceutical industry. The province plays an ever greater role in the bio-pharmaceutical industry and is successful in fighting off stiff competition from Switzerland and Singapore for inward investments in the bio-pharmaceutical area in companies such as Amgen and Pfizer and Roche(located in Clarecastle Co.Clare).^[5]

Metropolitan Cork & Shannon Free Zone

The following are some of the more important employers in the region: AOL, Bausch & Lomb, Dairygold, Dell, Amazon, Motorola, Amgen, Pfizer, Analog Devices, Fexco Financial Services, Vistakon, Waterford Crystal, Apple Computer, Intel, Novartis, O2, Lufthansa Technik, Kerry Group, Teva Pharmaceuticals, Siemens, Sony. The largest employment hub in Munster is Metropolitan Cork, with many large multinational firms located in the area. The second most important is the Shannon Free Zone with over 120 international firms based there employing over 7,500 people.

Cork Harbour

Cork Harbour is the largest natural harbour in Europe and has always had a long and important maritime history.

Haulbowline Island is the location of the Irish naval fleet and the Irish Naval College.

The town of Cobh is Ireland's only cruise ship destinations. Cobh is also the port where the Titanic made it's last port of call before meeting it's final destiny.

Golden Vale

The Golden Vale is considered rich pastureland and has historically contributed to the wealth of Munster. It is the best land in Ireland for dairy farming.

International airports

• Cork Airport (Ireland's 3rd busiest airport)
• Kerry Airport
• Shannon Airport (Ireland's 2nd busiest airport)
• Waterford Airport

Major infrastructural projects

• The Limerick Tunnel
• The Jack Lynch Tunnel
• The restoration of the Cork to Midleton railway line Cork Suburban Rail (3 lines)
• Limerick Suburban Rail (2 lines)
• The restoration of the Limerick to Galway railway line Western Rail Corridor
• The construction of M7 Limerick to Dublin
• The construction of M8 Cork to Dublin
• The construction of M9 Waterford to Dublin
• The introduction of new Dublin-Cork railway line trains
• The Atlantic Quarter, Cork docklands.
• Riverpoint building, Limerick
• Clarion Hotel, Limerick
• Cork County Hall, Cork (2nd tallest building in ROI at 67m)
• The Elysian, Cork (tallest building in ROI at 80m)
• Cork City Hall
• Thomond Park Stadium

Irish language

The Irish language, or more specifically Munster Irish is spoken as a first language in Gaeltachtaí (Irish speaking areas);

• in West Kerry (Corca Dhuibhne)
• in South Kerry (Uíbh Ráthach).
• in West Cork (Múscraí)
• in south-west Cork (Oileán Cléire)
• in south-west Waterford (Gaeltacht na Rinne or Gaeltacht na nDeise)

The number of Gaelscoileanna (Irish language schools) has increased sharply in the last ten years. Children learn Irish and speak Irish in the Gaelscoileanna. Munster has the second highest number of Irish-medium primary schools (46) in Ireland and the highest number of Irish-medium secondary schools (22) of any Irish province.

Third level institutions

• University College Cork 17,000 students
• University of Limerick 13,000 students
• Institute of Technology, Tralee 3,500 students
• Waterford Institute of Technology 10,000 students
• Cork Institute of Technology 17,000 students
• Limerick Institute of Technology 6,500 students
• Mary Immaculate College, Limerick 2,500 students
• Cork College of Commerce
• Central Technical Institute Waterford
• Central Technical Institute Clonmel
• Limerick Senior College
• West Clare VTOS
• Burren College of Art
• Griffith College Cork
• Griffith College Limerick
• Mid West Business Institute
• Shannon College of Hotel Management
• Tipperary Institute
• Garda Síochána College

Munster media

Television

• RTÉ Cork - Cork based television broadcasting studios for RTÉ
• South Coast TV - Cork based television company
• Channel South

Newspapers

• The Irish Examiner - Cork-based national newspaper
• Evening Echo - daily evening paper covering Cork city. Also a daily Limerick edition
• The Avondhu - covers North East Cork, West Waterford, South Limerick and South Tipperary.
• The Munster Express - covers the South East.
• Nationalist & Munster Advertiser

The Limerick Leader (covers the Mid West)

Clare

• Clare Champion
• Clare People
• Clare Courier
• Clare County Express

Cork

• The Imokilly People (East Cork)
• The Carrigdhoun
• The Cork Weekly^[6] Free paper for Metropolitan Cork incorporating the Douglas Weekly
• The Corkman
• The Mallow Star
• The Southern Star
• The Vale Star
• The Avondhu
• Evening Echo

Kerry

• The Kerryman
• The Kingdom
• Kerry's Eye

Limerick

• Limerick Leader
• Limerick Post
• Limerick Independent
• The Vale Star (South & East Limerick)
• The Weekly Observer (West Limerick)

Tipperary

• The Guardian, Nenagh
• The Tipperary Star
• The Nationalist, Clonmel

Waterford

• The Waterford News and Star, Waterford City
• The Waterford Today, Waterford City
• The Munster Express, Dungarvan
• The Dungarvan Leader, Dungarvan
• The Dungarvan Observer, Dungarvan

Radio

• Red FM - Cork Youth-driven service
• Clare FM - County Clare
• Tipp FM - County Tipperary
• Radio Kerry - County Kerry
• WLR FM - Waterford City and County
• 96FM and C103 (dual franchise) - General service for Cork
• Limerick East community radio - Limerick East
• Live 95FM - Limerick City and County, covering Thomond(Tuadh Mumhan North Munster)
• West Limerick 102 - Limerick city and County
• Spin SW - province-wide- Based in Limerick city
• Beat 102-103 - Youth-driven service. Counties Carlow, Kilkenny, Waterford, Wexford, South Tipperary and East Limerick covering the Ormond(Urh Mumhan East Munster)
• RTÉ Ráidió na Gaeltachta "Camchuairt" - Tralee, County Kerry covering Desmond (Deas Mumhan South Munster)
• RTÉ lyric fm - 96-99FM - Cornmarket Row, Limerick City. Broadcast Country wide

Sport

The most popular sports in Munster are Gaelic games, soccer and rugby.

Hurling

Munster is famous for its tradition of hurling. The town of Thurles in County Tipperary is the birthplace of modern GAA. Three of the four most successful teams in the All-Ireland Senior Hurling Championship are from Munster; Cork GAA, Tipperary GAA and Limerick GAA. Clare GAA and Waterford GAA are also among the most prominent teams in the sport. The final of the Munster Senior Hurling Championship is one of the most important days in the Irish GAA calendar.

Gaelic football

Traditionally, the dominant teams in Munster football are Kerry GAA and Cork GAA, although Tipperary GAA and Limerick GAA have also won All-Ireland Senior Football Championships. Kerry in particular are famous as the most successful team in the history of football.

Rugby Union

Rugby is a popular game in the cities of Limerick and Cork. Munster is an Irish Rugby Football Union representative side which competes in the Magners League, winning in 2003 and 2009, and in the Heineken Cup, winning in 2006 and 2008. The Munster side is the only Irish side to have defeated the New Zealand All Blacks.

Soccer

Soccer is also a popular game in Munster. Five Munster clubs play in the FAI League of Ireland; Cork City, Waterford United, Cobh Ramblers, Tralee Dynamos and Limerick 37.

Munster sports stadia ^[7]

In order of capacity

• Tipperary GAA Thurles Semple Stadium 55,000
• Limerick GAA Limerick Gaelic Grounds 50,000
• Kerry GAA Killarney Fitzgerald Stadium 38,000
• Cork GAA Cork Pairc Ui Chaoimh 45 000
• Clare GAA Ennis Cusack Park 28 000
• Munster Rugby Limerick Thomond Park Stadium 26 500
• Waterford GAA Waterford Walsh Park 17 000
• Kerry GAA Tralee Austin Stack Park 15 000
• Waterford GAA Fraher Field 15 000
• Cork City Cork Turners Cross Stadium 11 500
• Cobh Ramblers Cobh St. Colman's Park 10 000
• Waterford United Waterford Regional Sports Centre 8 200
• Limerick 37 Limerick Jackman Park 8 000
• Munster Rugby Cork Musgrave Park 7 000

References

1. ^ "2006 Prelim Census Report". http://www.cso.ie/census/documents/2006PreliminaryReport.pdf. 
2. ^ "Cork County Council population report". http://www.corkcoco.ie/co/pdf/98281500.pdf. 
3. ^ "County incomes and regional GDP". http://www.cso.ie/releasespublications/documents/economy/current/regincome.pdf. 
4. ^ Colm Keena (13 November 2004). "Fexco posts €9.4m profit on improved turnover". The Irish Times. http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/finance/2004/1113/1099561054994.html. Retrieved 2008-03-28. 
5. ^ "Roche Ireland pharmaceuticals & healthcare Clarecastle Co Clare Ireland". http://www.roche.ie/. 
6. ^ http://www.corkweekly.ie
7. ^ "Munster stadia". http://www.worldstadiums.com/europe/countries/ireland.shtml. 

External links

•  "Munster (Ireland)". Encyclopædia Britannica (11th ed.). 1911. 

See also

• Provinces of Ireland
• Iverni
• Cú Roí mac Dáire
• Mongfind
• Sanas Cormaic
• Desmond Rebellions
• Daniel O'Connell
• Michael Collins (Irish leader)
• Éamon de Valera
• Munster Gaelic Athletic Association
• Munster Rugby
• Munster Senior Club Football Championship
• Metropolitan areas in Ireland
• List of Irish language media

v • d • e Counties of Ireland Connacht Galway (Galway City) · Leitrim · Mayo · Roscommon · Sligo Munster Clare · Cork (Cork City) · Kerry · Limerick (Limerick City) · Tipperary (North Tipperary • South Tipperary) · Waterford (Waterford City) Leinster Carlow · Dublin (Dublin City • Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown • Fingal • South Dublin) · Kildare · Kilkenny · Laois · Longford · Louth · Meath · Offaly · Westmeath · Wexford · Wicklow Ulster Cavan · Donegal · Monaghan · Antrim · Armagh · Down · Fermanagh · Derry · Tyrone Italics denote non-administrative counties. Parentheses () denote eponymous cities or non-traditional counties.