Kilcoursey

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kilcoursey
Cill Chuairsí (Irish)
Baronies of County Offaly. Kilcoursey is shaded orange.
Baronies of County Offaly. Kilcoursey is shaded orange.
Sovereign stateIreland
CountyOffaly
Area
 • Total78 km2 (30.12 sq mi)

Kilcoursey (Irish: Cill Chuairsí) is a barony in County Offaly (formerly King's County), Ireland.

Etymology[edit]

The name Kilcoursey is from Kilcoursey Castle (also called Lehinch Castle; near Clara), which is named for Kilcoursey townland (Irish Cill Chuairsí, "Cuairseach's church").[1]

Location[edit]

Kilcoursey barony is located in north County Offaly, south of the Gageborough River.

History[edit]

The Ó Sionnaigh (later Fox) O'Catharniagh (O'Carney) clan were chiefs in Kilcoursey, referred to as Muinter Tadgain, which also included Clonlonan barony in Westmeath. Ó Cearnaigh (Kearney), princes of Tethbae (Westmeath), are of this branch. The Mac Amhlaigh (MacAuley) sept are also cited as holding a portion of this barony.[2]

List of settlements[edit]

Below is a list of settlements in Kilcoursey barony:

References[edit]