While the Múscraige
petty kingdoms were scattered throughout the
province of
Munster, the largest were centred on the present baronies of Muskerry (West and East)[1] in central
Cork.
The tribes or
septs were pre-
Eóganachta, that is before the 6th century. At this time, the territory of Múscraige Mittaine did not extend south of the
River Lee (although the river bisects the current baronies). A pedigree of the chieftains of the tribe may be found in the
Book of Leinster.[2][3]
The main septs were:
^Ó Murchadha, Diarmuid, Family names of County Cork, pg 153.
^Book of Leinster, Dublin, TCD, MS 1339 (olim MS H 2.18)
^MacLysaght (More Irish Families), notes that the O'Donegans of Aradh (Ara) in Múscraige Tíre became dispersed by the O'Briens whose chief there became Mac I Brien Ara.
^O'Hanlon John, Canon O'Hanlon, The Lives of the Irish Saints, cited in "Under the Oak ". "In the ancient taxation of the diocese of Cloyne, there is a rural deanery, called Muscry-donnegan. It contains the parishes now comprehended in the baronies of Orrery and Kilmore, with small adjacent portions of Duhallow and Fermoy. Among the Churches in this deanery, Orwerg, (i.e. Orbraidhe or Orrery) and Fersketh, (i.e. Feart Skeithe,) called Ardskagh are two. This latter is now known as Ardskeagh. Thus, the identity of Muscraighe-tri-maighe and the barony of Orrery is proved to a demonstration.
^MacLysaght (More Irish Families) notes that O'Donegan's country was the alias for Múscraige Tri Maighe and that the territory passed into the possession of the
Cambro-Normande Barry family in the 13th century.
^T. M. Charles-Edwards, The Chronicle of Ireland. Translated texts for historians., Volume 44, pg 126.