County Cork

County Cork (Contae Chorcaí) is the most southwesterly and the largest of the modern counties of. Cork is nicknamed "The Rebel County", as a result of the support of the townsmen of in 1491 for, a pretender to the throne of England during the. In more recent times, the name has referred to the prominent role Cork played in the (1919-1921) and its position as an anti-treaty stronghold during the  (1922-23). Attractions include the and  (formerly Queenstown), the port where many Irish  boarded for their voyage to the, , , , or  and also the last stop of the , before departing on its doomed journey. The city of Cork is the largest city in the Republic of Ireland and capital of the  of.

The remote western area of the county, known as, is a popular destination for tourists, who visit the small villages and islands including , Oileán Chléire or Cape and. , the "southwesternmost point in Ireland" is also in West Cork, as is.

In recent years land in the far west of the county has become in high demand internationally, and large numbers of citizens have settled in the area, along with celebrities such as. West Cork is noted for its rugged natural beauty, fine beaches and distinct social atmosphere.

Septs and Families of Cork
Cork was a for many powerful  and families of, most of them of Eoghanacht lineage. Common Cork surnames are, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,  , , , , , , ,  and. Some prevalent names are, , ,  and

History
Much of what is now county Cork was once part of the Kingdom of Deis Muin (South ), anglicised as "Desmond", ruled by the MacCarthy Mor dynasty. After the in the 12th century, the McCarty clan were pushed westward into what is now West Cork and. The north and east of Cork were taken by the Fitzgerald dynasty, who became the. Cork City was given an English Royal Charter in 1318 and for many centuries was an outpost for culture. The Fitzgerald Desmond dynasty was destroyed in the of 1569-1573 and 1579-83. Much of county Cork was devastated in the fighting, particularly in the. In the aftermath, much of Cork was colonised by English settlers in the.

In 1491 Cork played a part in the English when, a pretender to the English throne, landed in the city and tried to recruit support for a plot to overthrow. The mayor of Cork and several important citizens went with Warbeck to England but when the rebellion collapsed they were all captured and executed. Cork's nickname of the 'rebel city' originates in these events. The nickname was later applied to the whole county.

In 1601 the decisive took place in County Cork, which was to lead to English domination of Ireland for centuries. Kinsale had been the scene of a landing of Spanish troops to help Irish rebels in the (1594-1603). When this force was defeated, the rebel hopes for victory in the war were all but ended. County Cork was officially created by a division of the older in 1606.

In the 19th century, Cork was a centre for the and for the constitutional nationalism of the. The county was a hotbed of guerrilla activity during the 1919-1921. Three Cork Brigades of the operated in the county and another in the city. Prominent actions included the in November 1920 and the  in March 1921. The activity of IRA s, such as the one under in west Cork, was recently popularised in the  film. The centre of Cork city was razed to the ground by the British, in December 1920 as were many other towns and villages around the county.

During the (1922-23), most of the IRA units in Cork sided against the. From July to August 1922 they held the city and county as part of the so called. However, Cork was taken by troops of the in August 1922 in the, that included both overland and seaborne attacks. For the remainder of the war, the county saw sporadic guerrilla fighting until the Anti-Treaty side called a ceasefire and dumped their arms in May 1923. , a key figure in the War of Independence, was born near and assassinated during the civil war in, both in West Cork.

Language
County Cork has two areas where the  is the primary medium of everyday speech. These are Múscraí (Muskerry) in the north of the county, especially the village of Cúil Aodha and Oileán Chléire  an island in the west.

Economy
The South-West region comprising of counties Cork and contribute  22.298 billion (2002 values) towards the Irish. The area to the immediate east of the city is home to a large number of pharmaceutical and medical companies.

Wildlife
A collection of the marine algae is housed in the of the botany department of the.