Munster (Irish: an Mhumhain or Cúige Mumhan) is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, located in the south west of the island, entirely within the Republic of Ireland. In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland ruled by a “king of over-kings” (Irish: rí ruirech). Following the Norman invasion of Ireland, the ancient kingdoms were shired into counties for administrative and judicial purposes. In later centuries, local government legislation has seen further sub-division of the historic counties. Munster has no official function for local government purposes. Munster covers an area of 24,675 km² (9,527 sq mi). Its population was 1,373,346 in 2022, with Cork being the largest city. Other significant urban centres in the province include Limerick and Waterford. read more…
