MUNSTER  , a

province of Ireland occupying the S.W. part of the island . It includes the counties Clare, Tipperary, Limerick, Kerry, Cork and Waterford (q.v. for topography, &c.) . After the occupation of Ireland by the Milesians, Munster (Mumha) became nominally a provincial kingdom; but as the territory was divided between two families there was constant friction and it was not until 237 that Oliol Olum established himself as king over the whole . In 248 he divided his kingdom between his two sons, giving Desmond (q.v., Des-Mumha) to Eoghan and Thomond (Tuadh-Mumha) or north Munster to Cormac . He also stipulated that the rank of king of Munster should belong in turn to their descendants . In this way the kingship of Munster survived until 1194; but there were kings of Desmond and Thomond down to the 16th century . Munster was originally of the same extent as the present province, excepting that it included the district of Ely, which belonged to the O'Carrols and formed a part of the present King's County . During the 16th century, however, Thomond was for a time included in Connaught, being declared a county under the name of Clare (q.v.) by Sir Henry Sidney . Part of Munster had been included in the system of shiring generally attributed to King John . In 1570 a provincial presidency of Munster (as of Connaught) was established by Sidney, Sir John Perrot being the first president, and lasted until 1672 . Under Perrot a practically new shiring was carried out .