Fore (County Meath barony)
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Fore
Baile Fhobhair (Irish) Demifore | |
|---|---|
 Cattle at Milltown | |
 Barony map of County Meath, 1900; Fore is in the northwest, coloured pink. | |
  Fore | |
| Coordinates: 53°44′N 7°09′W / 53.73°N 7.15°W | |
| Sovereign state | Ireland |
| Province | Leinster |
| County | Meath |
| Area | |
• Total | 171.5 km2 (66.2 sq mi) |
Fore (Irish: Baile Fhobhair), also called Demifore,[1] is a historical barony in north-central County Meath, Ireland.[2][3]
Baronies were mainly cadastral rather than administrative units. They acquired modest local taxation and spending functions in the 19th century before being superseded by the Local Government (Ireland) Act 1898.[4]
The region was ruled by the Delbna Bec in the 8th century (with surname Ua Maoilchallan, Mulholland) and the Ó hAonghusa (Hennessys) in the 12th century.[5]
The barony takes its name from Fore Abbey (County Westmeath), whose name is from Irish fobhar, "well." Originally there was a single large barony, but when Meath was split into Meath and Westmeath in the Counties of Meath and Westmeath Act 1543,[6] two "half-baronies" of Fore (Westmeath) and Fore (Meath) were created.[3]
