Editing Mitchelstown (section)

==Name==
Prior to the 12th century [[Anglo-Norman invasion of Ireland]], the area around Mitchelstown was known as "Caoille", a territory bounded by the Kilworth Mountains to the south and the Galtee Mountains to the north. It was occupied by a people known as the ''Fir Muighe'' – the "men of the plain".<ref>{{cite book | editor = Patrick Power | title = Crichad an Chaoilli being the Topography of ancient Fermoy | place = Cork | publisher = Cork University Press | date = 1932 | page = 56}} {{No ISBN}}</ref>

The name of Mitchelstown originates from the [[Anglo-Normans|Anglo-Norman]] family called ''de St Michel'' who founded a settlement close to the site of the present town in the 13th century.<ref name="booklet">{{cite web|url = https://www.corkcoco.ie/sites/default/files/2022-04/mitchelstown-pdf.pdf | publisher = Cork County Council | title = Mitchelstown – Historic Town | website = corkcoco.ie | accessdate = 3 April 2024 }}</ref>  Their family name was well attested among Anglo-Normans in this area of Munster.<ref name="logainmMitchelstownTownland">{{Cite web |title=Baile Mhistéala/Mitchelstown |url=https://www.logainm.ie/en/12869 |access-date=2024-11-12 |website=logainm.ie |language=en}}</ref>  (A reference in 1288 to a Geoffrey ''Michel'' in the 'vill of Michel', appears to refer to Mitchelstown townland in County Limerick.)<ref name="logainmMitchelstownTownland"/> Today's Mitchelstown and ''Baile Mhistéala'' names evolved from several varied spellings, a number of which are listed in the [[Placenames Database of Ireland]]. The database records 1618 as the earliest instance of today's standard English version.<ref name="logainmMitchelstownTownland"/>