Iffa and Offa West

Baronies were created after the Norman invasion of Ireland as divisions of counties and were used the administration of justice and the raising of revenue.

Following the conquest of Ireland by the Normans, much of the territory was, by royal grant, handed over to the victorious barons.

Cahir Abbey was in existence by c.1200 when the prior is listed as a witness to one of the documents contained in the register of the hospital of St. John's Dublin.

It was his father, the 2nd Earl, who had built Cahir Castle in 1375 to guard a strategic crossing point of the River Suir.

Ardfinnan Castle was built by order of King John around 1186 to guard another crossing of the River Suir.

However, the neighbouring barony of Kilnamanagh was split into Upper and Lower half-baronies, being allocated to the north and south ridings respectively.

[3] The barony is set in that part of the Suir valley where the river makes a 90° turn to the east.