County Cork

County Cork is the largest and the most southwesterly county of Ireland. The city of Cork is the second largest city in the Republic of Ireland and capital of the province of Munster. Cork is nicknamed "The Rebel County", as a result of the support of the townsmen of Cork in 1491 for Perkin Warbeck, a pretender to the throne of England during the Wars of the Roses. In more recent times, the name has referred to the prominent role Cork played in the Irish War of Independence (1919-1921) and its position as an anti-treaty stronghold during the Irish Civil War (1922-23). Attractions include the Blarney Stone and Cobh (formerly Queenstown), the port where many Irish emigrants boarded for their voyage to the United States, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, or South Africa and also the last stop of the Titanic, before departing on its doomed journey. The western area of the county, known as West Cork, is a popular destination for tourists.

History

Much of what is now county Cork was once part of the Kingdom of Deas Mumhann (South Munster), anglicised as "Desmond", ruled by the MacCarthy Mor dynasty. After the Norman Invasion in the 12th century, the McCarty clan were pushed westward into what is now West Cork and County Kerry.{citation pending}