Baron Kingsale

In the early times the name was "Kinsale" or "Kinsale and Ringrone", but the spelling Kingsale has imposed itself with time and Ringrone was dropped. Regarding its precedence among the Irish baronies, the title Baron Athenry was considered the eldest and Kingsale held the second rank. However, in 1799 Athenry became dormant (and probably extinct) and Kingsale was elevated to premier Baron in Ireland.

The literature usually numbers the successive barons to avoid confusion arising from the repetitions of the same names, such as Miles or John de Courcy in the long line of the barons of Kingsale. Two such schemes are in common use, often both are cited together, e.g. Almeric de Courcy 18th (or 23rd) Baron. The older scheme numbers all the barons starting with Miles de Courcy, who was granted the baronies of Kingsale and Ringrone by Henry III in 1223.[5] This scheme dates from Lodge in 1754.[6] An alternative numbering was introduced by Cokayne in 1929 with the second version of The Complete Peerage.[3] It excludes the early barons, that it considers feudal, and starts with Miles, who died in 1344,[7] accepted as the first peer. This article follows the older numbering, considered more common.

The barons traditionally claimed the privilege of remaining covered (that is, wearing a hat) in the presence of the monarch.[8] It was supposed to have been obtained from King John by John de Courcy and handed down to his heirs.[9] As far as is known, the right has been exercised for the first time by Almeric de Courcy, 23rd Baron Kingsale before William III in 1692.[10][11] His successor Gerald de Courcy, 24th Baron Kingsale repeated the hat trick before George I in 1720[12] and George II on 22 June 1727.[13] The Eleventh Edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica, however, states that the privilege "is a legend without historic foundation".[14]

• Kilbrittain Castle once belonged to the De Courcys but was lost to Donal Gott MacCarthy, King of Desmond, whose son Donal Maol MacCarthy Reagh was the first King of Carbery and founder of the MacCarthy Reagh dynasty.[15]
• Coolmain Castle
• Old Head Castle

Despite the antiquity of the title, the family no longer retains its property or wealth, having supported the losing side in past conflicts. The 30th (or 35th) Baron, despite education at Stowe and the Universities of Paris and Salzburg, supported by his father's marriage to the daughter of a Yorkshire lanolin oil business owner, was, due to the later failure of that business amongst other things, an odd-job man and plumber, and died a resident of sheltered housing.[16]

The person currently entitled to hold the title is Nevinson Mark de Courcy, who was born in 1958 and lives in Remuera, Auckland, New Zealand. He is or would be the 31st (or 36th) Baron, however, his name does not appear in the current Roll of the Peerage. Under the terms of the Royal Warrant of 2004, any person who succeeds to a Peerage must prove his or her succession and be placed on the Roll, otherwise, that person may not be recognised as a peer legally or in official documents in the United Kingdom.[17]