History of munster:

There are many colors in the Munster palette; the opulent brown of bog freshly cut for turf or the gleaming grey of rain washed slate. Some of nature's colors are bold, like the yellow of the gorse, others are bright but exquisite; the pearly clusters of bloom on the strawberry trees in the Killarney woods in Autumn as the land is profoundly tranquil. Many of the rivers still rich with Salmon and the lakes with trout. Cattle grow fat on rich pastures. For centuries man has been tempted by Munsters call. Mitchelstown Castle, a great mansion of the Earls of Kingston, which no longer stands, was a mark of the power the Earls held. In fact, Mitchelstown (Co. Cork) which was heavily influenced by the Earls is a reminder of this with fine churches of both denominations, an elegant square on one side of which are terraced almshouses and a splendid Main street. A surprising number of the gentry folk of the new ascendant class lived uncomfortably in tower houses until well into the 18th century. Then, as they reaped honours and titles they built new residences to reflect their social position. In the 18th century, a number of peerages were given titles to force through the Union of England and Ireland. With the abolition of the Irish parliament, it was important to buy support by issuing titles to these commoners. In Co. Cork for example, Francis Bernard became Lord Bandon and Richard White became Lord Bantry. In Co. Kerry, Valentine Browne became Lord Kenmare. Through the last years of the famine, only a handful of Catholic families in each of the counties of Munster managed to remain on a portion of their land. Although the rate of illiteracy was high, over 50% and as high as 70% in Kerry, there was a vigorous oral tradition about the hearth. In the twilight of the old Gaelic way of life in the 18th century, impoverished poets gathered in quiet townlands to read their work and encourage one another through their poetry.