MUNSTER, the most southern of the four provinces of Ireland, is bounded on the north by Connaught, on the east by Leinster, and on the south and west by the Atlantic Ocean. It measures 150 miles in its greatest length, from Brow-Head, the most southern point of Ireland, to Meelick, the northern extremity of Tipperary, and about the same breadth in an eastern and western direction, from Dunmore Head in Kerry to Waterford harbour, extending over a superficies of 5,879,872 acres, of which 3,929,852 are capable of cultivation, 1,905,368 are bog or unprofitable mountain land, and 44,652 are covered with standing water.

The ancient name of the province was Mumhan, in Latin Momonia. According to the older geographers, its maritime regions were peopled, commencing eastwardly, by the Brigantes, the Velabori, the Ibernii, the Lucenii, the Vodii, and the Cangani; whilst its interior was occupied by the [7:15:593]Scoti. At a later period it contained the eight following principalities: 1. Hy Breoghan, now the county of Waterford; 2. Osragii, afterwards Ossory, and now forming parts of the Queen’s County and of Tipperary; 3. Oir-Mumhan, East Munster, now Ormond, comprehending the baronies of Ormond and of Owney and Arra in Tipperary; 4. Tuath-Mumhan, Thomond, or North Munster, now the county of Clare; 5. Aine-Cliach, or Eoganach Aine-Cliach, now Limerick; 6. Ciar or Cerrigia, now Kerry; 7. Aoibh-Liathain, containing the northern part of the county of Cork; and, 8. Corcaluighe, the southern part of the same county, and the ancient kingdom of Cork. The principal toparchs or heads of septs in those divisions, several of whom assumed the title of king, but acknowledged the supremacy of the king of Munster, were the O’Briens, the Barrys, the M f Arthys, and the O’Sullivans. After the arrival of the English, the greater part of the province became the property of the Butlers, and of different branches of the Fitzgerald family, amongst the latter of whom the Earl of Desmond long ruled the whole of its southern portion with an authority almost independent of that of the English crown. On the death of the last earl of that name, and the subsequent confiscation of his immense estates by Elizabeth in consequence of his rebellion, the greatest part of it was parcelled outamongst English adventurers, amongst whom was the celebrated Sir Walter Raleigh. The descendants of these adventurers, or “undertakers,” as they were styled in the phraseology of those days, have, for the most part, melted away from observation in a manner altogether unaccountable and surprising. The province is now divided into the six counties of Clare, formerly included in Connaught, Cork, Kerry, Limerick, Tipperary, and Waterford.

According to the ecclesiastical arrangements of Ireland, Munster constituted the province of Cashel, consisting of the archbishopric of the same name, with which were united the diocese of Emly; the bishopric of Limerick, Ardfert, and Aghadoe; the bishopric of Waterford and Lismore; the bishopric of Cork and Ross; the bishopric of Cloyne; and the bishopric of Killaloe and Kilfenora. This arrangement has been lately altered by the legislature. The archbishopric of Cashel is, on the demise of the present holder thereof, to he reduced to the rank of a bishopric, subordinate to the archiepiscopal see of Dublin, and the whole province is to be consolidated into four dioceses, in the following manner: Cashel is to be holden with Emly, Waterford, and Lismore; Cloyne with Cork and Ross; Killaloe with Kilfenora, and with these are also to be united the sees of Clonfert and Kilmacduagh, hjtherto forming part of the archiepiscopal province of Tuam; and Limerick with Ardfert and Aghadoe, as hitherto..

The northern parts of Munster are, generally speaking, level. Towards the south and south-west the land rises into elevations of considerable height, Macgillicuddy’s Recks, in Kerry, being the highest mountain range in Ireland. Garrantual, the most elevated of its peaks, is nearly 3500 feet above the level of the sea. The mountains in the county of Cork stretch in the direction of east and west. The lofty range of Slieve-Bloom forms the eastern boundary of the province. The river Shannon passes through its northern part, separating the county of Clare from those of Tipperary, Limerick, and Kerry. The Suir, Blackwater, Lee, and Bandon, water the southern districts. The only lakes of note are those of Killarney, in Kerry, which owe their celebrity much more to the picturesque beauties of their scenery than to the extent of their surface. The bays, creeks, headlands, and islands, which are numerous, and in most instances worthy of special notice, have been already mentioned in the general description of the island. See Ireland.

The climate, though moist from its exposure to the prevailing south-western winds, which pass over itloaded with the humid exhalations of the Atlantic, is peculiarly mild. The severity of winter is but slightly felt even in its more elevated regions, whilst in its more level parts, along its southern shores, the myrtle blooms richly and unsheltered; and the arbutus, indigenous in Kerry, attains an unusual size. Such is the prevailing opinion of the genial temperature of the atmosphere, that an attempt was lately made to introduce the rearing of the silk-worm on a great scale, in the hope of establishing the silk manufacture on a permanent basis in this part of Ireland, by having the raw material at the mere price of its production; and though the experiment has failed as to its main object, the growth of the mulberry trees, which were planted in large numbers for the sustenance of the insect, has proved that they were not fixed in an ungenial climate.

The soil throughout the level parts is peculiarly fertile, producing abundantly rich crops of every kind of grain, and many species of fruits, which, in other parts of the island, are capable of being ripened only by means of an artificial atmosphere. The tract of land stretching across the counties of Limerick and Tipperary, from Askeaton to the limits of Kilkenny, has long been distinguished by the name of the Golden Vale, an appellation justly bestowed upon it from its singular fertility. Even in the less favoured climate of the elevated parts of Kerry, tillage has been carried upwards along the mountain sides to heights unexampled elsewhere.

As to its geological relations, the northern parts of Munster are included within the limits of the great plain of floetz limestone, which constitutes the central formation of Ireland. The southern parts are mostly of the sandstone and clay-slate formation; the former being more developed in the mountains, the latter in the more level parts. Bog is abundant and very generally distributed, although the province lies without the great central band, which embraces most of the soil of this description. Coal is found in large quantities in the interior; but its use is much limited by the rugged character of the region within which it lies, and the consequent difficulty of carriage. There are two fields of this mineral; one, the larger, in the centre of Cork county; the other in Tipperary, where a branch of the great Leinster coal-field stretches into the province. In both places the -mineral is of the carbonaceous or stone-coal species, the slate glantz-coal of Werner. Several mines of copper, lead, and iron, were worked with profit until stopped by the failure of timber for fuel; notwithstanding which a few are still carried on successfully. Mineral springs are numerous; that of Mallow, which is of the same nature with the hot wells near Bristol, maintaining a high character for its medical efficacy. Transparent crystals are frequently found in Kerry. Some caves producing stalactites have been lately discovered in the county of Cork, and the precipitous fissures in the cliffs upon the western and southern shores, where the surface soil has been washed away by the workings of the ocean, present many objects of great interest to the geologist.

The population ofMunsteramountedin 1821 to 1,935,612 souls, and in 1831 to 2,165,193. The peasantry are a large, athletic, and handsome race, exhibiting, in their oval faces and dark hair, strong traces of similarity with the Spaniards. Their occupation is chiefly agricultural. The raising of grain and the pasturage of cattle, which are exported in great numbers from Cork, Limerick, and Waterford, form their chief employment. The manufacture of frizes and coarse woollens, as also of coarse linen cloth for domestic consumption, is carried on very generally. Formerly the country round Carrick-on-Suir was the seat of an extensive woollen trade.

The province contains several of the largest cities in Ireland: Cork, the next in size and population to Dublin, containing a population of upwards of 100,000; Limerick, [7:15:594]having 65,000; and Waterford, nearly 30,000. Each of these is the seat of a good export trade, chiefly in provisions.

. Münster, one of the governments into which the Prussian province of Westphalia is divided. It is formed out of. the, ancient bishopric of that name, and several sovereignties which have been at different times secularized or mediatized, viz. Salm-Ahaus, Salm-Bocholt, Rheina-Wol-bech, Horstmar, Dulmen, Steinfurt, Anhalt-Dulmen, Ghemen, and Gronau. It extends over 2228 square miles, is divided into ten circles, and comprehends thirty-eight cities or walled places, fifteen market-towns, and 732 villages, with 57,577 houses, inhabited by 382,540 individuals. It is for the most part a poor and heathy district, excepting near the rivers. It produces barley-corn equal to the consumption, but is very deficient in fuel.

Munster, a city, the capital of the Prussian government of that name. It is situated on the river Aa, which, by means of a canal, communicates with the Ems. It was formerly fortified; but its walls have recently been converted into elegant promenades. It has a fine palace, and a castle near it; and the cathedral is an ancient building, surrounded by rows of trees. It contains six parish churches, one of which is Lutheran, the others Catholic. It is the seat of a Catholic bishop, and of a college formerly belonging to the Jesuits, for the education of Catholic priests. On the tower of one of the churches are affixed the three iron cages in which Knipperdoling and his companions, the leaders of the Anabaptists, were suspended, after their revolutionary movements were suppressed, in 1535. The place is remarkable for the peace of Westphalia, concluded at it, after many years of deliberation, in 1648. It now contains 1500 houses, and 18,260 inhabitants, exclusive of the military. In the town-hall is a curious collection of ancient armour, and many other antiquities. There are only some small manufactories of linen and woollen goods; but there is considerable trade in the exchange of internal commodities, especially in Rhine wine and wool, and there are several breweries. Long. 7. 31. 2. E. Lat. 51. 58. 10. N.