entary
divisions, east, mid, north, north-east, south, south-east and west,
each returning one member.

_History._--Cork is one of the counties which is generally considered to
have been instituted by King John. It had not always its present extent,
for its existing boundaries include part of the ancient territory of
Desmond (q.v.), which, in the later half of the 16th century, ranked as
a separate county. In 1598, however, there were two sheriffs in the
county Cork, one especially for Desmond, which was then included in
Cork, but was afterwards amalgamated with the county Kerry. In the same
period wide lands in the county were given to settlers under the crown,
and among these were Sir Walter Raleigh and Edmund Spenser the poet, who
received 40,000 acres and 3028 acres respectively. In 1602 a large
portion of the estates of Sir Walter Raleigh and Fane Beecher were
purchased by Richard Boyle, 1st earl of Cork, who had them colonized
with English settlers; and by founding or rebuilding the towns of
Bandon, Clonakilty, Baltimore, Youghal, and afterwards those of
Middleton, Castlemartyr, Charleville and Doneraile, which were
incorporated and made parliamentary boroughs, the family of Boyle became
possessed of nearly the entire political power of the county.

_Antiquities._--The earlier antiquities of the county are rude monuments
of the Pagan era. There are two so-called druids' altars, the most
perfect near Cloyne, and certain pillar stones scattered through the
county, with straight marks cut on the edges called Ogham inscriptions,
the interpretation of which is a subject of much controversy. The
remains of the old ecclesiastical buildings are in a very ruinous
condition, being used as burial-places by the country people. The
principal is Kilcrea, founded by Cormac M'Carthy about 1485, some of the
tombs of whose descendants are still in the chancel; the steeple is
still nearly perfect, and chapter-house, cloister, dormitory and kitchen
can be seen. Timoleague church, situated on a romantic spot on rising
ground at the extreme end of Courtmacsherry Bay, contains some tombs of
interest, and is still in fair condition. Buttevant Abbey (13th century)
contains some tombs of the Barrys and other distinguished families.
There is a good crypt here. All these were the property of the
Franciscans. There are two round towers in the county, one in a fine
state of preservation opposite Cloyne Cathedral, the other at Kinneigh.
On th