Munster is the largest of the four provinces of Ireland, situated in the southwest of the island. It is located entirely within the Republic of Ireland.
In early Ireland, the Kingdom of Munster was one of the kingdoms of Gaelic Ireland and was ruled by a "king of over-kings." Following the Norman invasion, these ancient kingdoms were divided into counties to serve administrative and judicial purposes. In subsequent centuries, local government legislation led to further subdivisions of the historic counties.