Philip de Barry came to Ireland at the end of February 1183, accompanied by his brother Gerald and their followers, to take possession of his lands and to assist his half-uncle Robert Fitz-Stephen, and his first cousin
Raymond FitzGerald (also known as Raymond Le Gros), in their efforts to recover lands in the modern county of
Cork. These
cantrefs or baronies had been expropriated by another (half) first cousin,
Ralph Fitz-Stephen (or Radulph). Ralph was the grandson of Nesta by Stephen, Constable of Cardigan. In 1182 he was killed together with his father-in-law,
Milo de Cogan, who had been granted of the second half of the kingdom of Cork. Robert Fitz-Stephen eventually ceded these territories to Philip, his half-nephew. These territories consisted of three cantrefs in Fitz-Stephen's half of the
Kingdom of Desmond ("the kingdom of Cork") viz. Olethan, Muschiri-on-Dunnegan (or Muskerry Donegan) and Killyde (or Killede) by the service of ten knights. These cantrefs became the
baronies or hundreds of
Oliehan,
Oryrry and
Ogormliehan respectively. The name "Oliehan" is an anglicisation of the Gaelic
Uí Liatháin which refers to the
early medieval kingdom of the
Uí Liatháin. This
petty kingdom encompassed most of the land in
Barrymore and the neighbouring barony of
Kinnatalloon. Oryrry is currently known as the
Barony of Orrery and Kilmore. The name Killyde survives in "Killeady Hills", the name of the hill country south of the city of Cork. According to Smith, "on the north side of the city stood
Shandon Castle, built by the Barrys soon after the Conquest, or, as some say, by King John,". According to Rev. Barry, the baronies were "coextensive with the ecclesiastical deaneries of Olethan and Muscry Donnegan in the
diocese of Cloyne, and Ocurblethan, in the
diocese of Cork. According to the Taxations of A.D. 1302, 1307, as given by Sweetman, the deanery of Olethan comprised the barony of Kinnatalloon, and the Cloyne part of the barony of Barrymore, exclusive of the Great Island and the parish of Mogeesha, which went with Imokilly, till taken from the Hodnets by the Barries in A.D. 1329. The deanery of Muscry Donnegan comprised the barony of Orrery and Kilmore and the Cloyne part of the barony of Duhallow, except Kilshannig parish, which was then in Muskerrylin. The deanery of Ocurblethan comprised the Cork part of the barony of Barrymore and the North Liberties of Cork, except, perhaps, the parish of Currykippane." Rev. Barry goes on to posit that the name "Killyde" may derive from Killeagh (), which lies in the parish of Dunbollogue in the old deanery of Ocurblethan. == Issue ==