The Barony of Kingsale is one of the most ancient peerage

Peerage

The Peerage is a legal system of largely hereditary titles in the United Kingdom, which constitute the ranks of British nobility and is part of the British honours system...

 titles in Britain or Ireland. The Barony, in the Peerage of Ireland

Peerage of Ireland

The Peerage of Ireland is the term used for those titles of nobility created by the English and later British monarchs of Ireland in their capacity as Lord or King of Ireland. The creation of such titles came to an end in the 19th century. The ranks of the Irish peerage are Duke, Marquess, Earl,...

, dates to the thirteenth century, perhaps being created circa 1223, though other sources give different dates. The first creation was by writ. The title was officially confirmed by letters patent

Letters patent

Letters patent are a type of legal instrument in the form of a published written order issued by a monarch or president, generally granting an office, right, monopoly, title, or status to a person or corporation...

 in 1397. The numbering of the barons varies, some sources including the holders of the ancient barony, others commencing with the barons confirmed by letters patent.

The Baron also holds the feudal titles of Lord Courcy and Lord Ringrone, probably created in the twelfth century. Several sources claim that the Baron holds the privilege of being covered (that is, wearing a hat) in the presence of the monarch. The Eleventh Edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica, however, disagrees, claiming that the story "is a legend without historic foundation".

Barons Kingsale (c. 1223)

• Miles de Courcy, 1st Baron Kingsale (d. c. 1230)
• Patrick de Courcy, 2nd Baron Kingsale (d. c. 1260)
• Nicholas de Courcy, 3rd Baron Kingsale (d. c. 1290)
• Edmund de Courcy, 4th Baron Kingsale (d. c. 1302)
• John de Courcy, 5th Baron Kingsale (d. c. 1303)
• Miles de Courcy, 6th Baron Kingsale (d. c. 1338)
• Miles de Courcy, 7th Baron Kingsale (d. 1358)
• John de Courcy, 8th Baron Kingsale (d. c. 1387)
• William de Courcy, 9th Baron Kingsale (d. c. 1410) (became Baron Kingsale by letters patent in 1397)

Barons Kingsale (1397)

• William de Courcy, 9th Baron Kingsale (d. c. 1410)
• Nicholas de Courcy, 10th Baron Kingsale (d. c. 1430)
• Patrick de Courcy, 11th Baron Kingsale (d. c. 1460)
• Nicholas de Courcy, 12th Baron Kingsale (d. 1476)
• James de Courcy, 13th Baron Kingsale (d. c. 1499)
• Edmond de Courcy, 14th Baron Kingsale (d. c. 1505)
• David de Courcy, 15th Baron Kingsale (d. c. 1520)
• John de Courcy, 16th Baron Kingsale (d. 1535)
• Gerald de Courcy, 17th Baron Kingsale (d. 1599)
• John de Courcy, 18th Baron Kingsale (d. 1628)
• Gerald de Courcy, 19th Baron Kingsale (d. 1642)
• Patrick de Courcy, 20th Baron Kingsale (d. 1663)
• John de Courcy, 21st Baron Kingsale (d. 1667)
• Patrick de Courcy, 22nd Baron Kingsale (c. 1660–1669)
• Almericus de Courcy, 23rd Baron Kingsale (c. 1664–1720)
• Gerald de Courcy, 24th Baron Kingsale (1700–1759)
• John de Courcy, 25th Baron Kingsale (c. 1717–1776)
• John de Courcy, 26th Baron Kingsale (d. 1822)
• Thomas de Courcy, 27th Baron Kingsale (1774–1832)
• John Stapleton de Courcy, 28th Baron Kingsale (1805–1847)
• John Constantine de Courcy, 29th Baron Kingsale (1827–1865)
• Michael Conrad de Courcy, 30th Baron Kingsale (1828–1874)
• John Fitzroy de Courcy, 31st Baron Kingsale (1821–1890)
• Michael William de Courcy, 32nd Baron Kingsale (1822–1895)
• Michael Constantine de Courcy, 33rd Baron Kingsale (1855–1931)
• Michael William Robert de Courcy, 34th Baron Kingsale (1882–1969)
• John de Courcy, 35th Baron Kingsale
  John de Courcy, 35th Baron Kingsale
  John de Courcy, 35th Baron Kingsale, was the Premier Baron of Ireland.He succeeded his grandfather to the title in 1969, his father, Lieutenant-Commander The Honourable Michael de Courcy, RN, having being killed in action in 1940.Lord Kingsale was educated at Stowe School, and the Universities of...
  
   (1941–2005)
• Nevinson Mark de Courcy, 36th Baron Kingsale
  Nevinson de Courcy, 36th Baron Kingsale
  Nevinson Mark de Courcy, 36th Baron Kingsale succeeded his cousin John de Courcy, 35th Baron Kingsale as Baron Kingsale in 2005. He also succeeded to the feudal titles Lord Courcy and Lord Ringrone, and became the Premier Baron of Ireland. He lives in Auckland, New Zealand.-References:...
  
  (b. 1958)

The presumptive heir is Joseph Kenneth Charles de Courcy (b. 1955)