Kingdom of Osraige

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The Kingdom of Osraige (also spelt Ossory, Osraighe or Osraighibh), was an ancient kingdom of Ireland. It was largely a buffer state between Leinster and Munster, yet one that retained its independence, at least nominally, well into the historic era. Its southern border were the Suir and Barrow rivers, though it originally extended to the sea and its rulers had some influence over the Norse kings of Waterford. In the north it may have once stretched over the Slieve Bloom and reached the river Shannon, but in the historic era it generally stayed to the south of these mountions, the boundary generally being the river Nore.

In a clockwise direction (starting at 12:00) it was bordered by the kingdoms or lordships of Ele, Ui Duach, Loigis, Ui Drona, Uí Cheinnselaig, Desi Mumhain, and Eóganachta Caisel.

Its main town and dynastic capital was Kilkenny.

The name Osraige is said to be from the Usdaie, a tribe that Ptolemy's map of Ireland places in roughly the same area that Osraige would later occupy. Other tribes in the vicinity were the Brigantes and the Cauci. The Osraighe themselves claimed to be descended from the Érainn people.

The name was preserved in the Roman Catholic Bishopric of Ossory. Modern day County Kilkenny and part of west County Laois comprise the core area of what was this kingdom.