Coshma
{{Short description|Barony in County Limerick, Ireland}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2025}}
{{Use Irish English|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name = Coshma
| native_name = Cois Máighe (Irish)
| settlement_type = Barony
| image_skyline = River Maigue, Croom - geograph.org.uk - 5149475.jpg
| imagesize =
| image_alt =
| image_caption = The River Maigue in Croom
| image_map =Baronies of Limerick.jpg
|pushpin_map = Ireland
|coordinates={{coord|52.47|-8.66|format=dms|dim:15000|display=it}}
| map_alt =
| map_caption = Barony map of County Limerick, 1900; Coshma is in the middle, coloured green.
| subdivision_type = Sovereign state
| subdivision_name = Ireland
| subdivision_type1 = Province
| subdivision_name1 = Munster
| subdivision_type2 = County
| subdivision_name2 = Limerick
| area_magnitude =
| area_footnotes =
| area_total_km2 = 198.4
| area_total_sq_mi =76.6
| area_land_km2 =
| area_land_sq_mi =
| area_water_km2 =
| area_water_sq_mi =
| area_water_percent =
| area_note =
| elevation_footnotes =
| elevation_m =
| elevation_ft =
}}
Coshma ({{irish place name|Cois Máighe}}) is a historical barony in southeast County Limerick, Ireland.{{Cite web|url=https://www.townlands.ie/limerick/coshma/|title=Coshma|website=www.townlands.ie}}
Baronies were mainly cadastral rather than administrative units.{{Cite web|url=https://landedestates.ie/barony/361|title=CoshleaBarony | Landed Estates | University of Galway|website=landedestates.ie}} They acquired modest local taxation and spending functions in the 19th century before being superseded by the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898.{{cite book |author=General Register Office of Ireland |title=Census of Ireland 1901: General topographical index |chapter-url=http://www.histpop.org/ohpr/servlet/PageBrowser?path=Browse/Census%20(by%20date)/1901/Ireland&active=yes&mno=453&tocstate=expandnew&tocseq=3800&display=sections&display=tables&display=pagetitles&pageseq=first-nonblank |series=Command papers |volume=Cd. 2071 |year=1904 |publisher=HMSO |pages=966–978 |chapter=Alphabetical index to the baronies of Ireland}}{{Cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Ni0NAAAAYAAJ&q=%22Athlone+North%22++&pg=RA1-PA79|title=Report of the Deputy Keeper of the Public Records and of the Keeper of the State Papers in Ireland: Presented to Both Houses of the Oireachtas|first=Ireland Public Record|last=Office|date=12 February 1891|publisher=Stationery Office.|via=Google Books}}
History
The Uí Fidgenti were the dominant Irish kingdom in the Coshma region. The Uí Conaill Gabhra (Hy Cnocnuil Gabhra) were in the area and were part of the Eóganachta.{{Cite web|url=https://www.libraryireland.com/names/irishclans/ui-conaill-gabhra.php|title=Ui Conaill Gabhra - Irish Names and Surnames|website=www.libraryireland.com}} The Ó Cinnfhaolaidh (O'Kinealy, O'Kenealy) were chiefs of Eoganacht Grian Guara which included Coshma and the barony of Smallcounty. Before the Norman conquest the Ó Cleirchín (O'Clerkin, Clerk, Cleary) were in Coshma as Lords of the Uí Fidgenti and of Ui-Cairbre.{{Cite web|url=http://sites.rootsweb.com/~irlkik/ihm/baronie4.htm|title=The Baronies of Ireland - History|date=17 July 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190717210451/http://sites.rootsweb.com/~irlkik/ihm/baronie3.htm |archive-date=17 July 2019 }}
Coshma was known as a centre of Irish-language poetry, with the Maigue poets being nationally famous. Aindrias Mac Craith wrote of the area as {{lang|ga|Cois Máigh na gCaor}}, "Coshma of the berries," in his poem "Slán le Máigh" ('Farewell to the Maigue'). Mannix Joyce also wrote about the Coshma region and its literature.{{Cite web|url=https://www.limerickcity.ie/media/Q-S/Seoige006.pdf|title=Limerick author continues the Gaelic tradition of Coshma|author=A Limerickman's Diary|website=Limerick City and County Council}}
Geography
Coshma is in the middle of the county, going along the River Maigue; the Irish name means "banks of the Maigue."{{Cite web|url=https://www.logainm.ie/en/145|title=Cois Máighe/Coshma|website=logainm.ie}}{{Cite web|url=https://landedestates.ie/barony/374|title=Coshma Barony | Landed Estates | University of Galway|website=landedestates.ie}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.lbrowncollection.com/coshma-parishes/|title=Coshma Parishes – L Brown Collection}}O'Clery, M. (1849:1089). Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland: From the Earliest Period to the Year 1616. Ireland.
List of settlements
Settlements within the historical barony of Coshma include:{{Cite web|url=https://www.logainm.ie/en/145/sub/ID|title=Sub-units of: Cois Máighe/Coshma|website=logainm.ie}}
References
{{reflist}}