A medieval castle, a park, museums and the largest telescope – all this is in Birr Castle. A walk with a real count on his estate with a medieval castle is not a fairy tale. In the Irish castle of Birr, surrounded by beautiful gardens and parks, this becomes a reality. The owner, a descendant of an ancient Irish family, will tell the history of the estate and even have a cup of tea with you from family china.
History of the castle
A very long time ago, at the beginning of the XII century, this story began. At that time there was an Anglo-Norman fortress here. Later, until the 17th century, the O'Carroll family lived in Birr Castle and ruled over a large area.
In 1620, Sir Lawrence Parsons, Earl of Ross, was granted the reigning special Birr Castle with an adjacent territory of five square kilometers. The new owner built a castle that has survived to this day. At the same time, a wonderful garden was laid.
At the beginning of the 19th century, a descendant of the earl family, Lawrence Parsons, the second Earl of Ross, decided to change the appearance of his home. After a small reconstruction, the castle acquired a Gothic appearance.
Count Astronomer and Countess Blacksmith
A significant contribution to the history of the castle was made by the third Earl of Ross – William Parsons. He was engaged in state activities, was a peer of Ireland, president of the Royal Society of London and was fond of astronomy. In order to observe the life of space objects, he even learned how to make telescopes. In this he was helped by his wife Mary Ross – a very interesting person. She mastered the completely unfeminine profession of a blacksmith, was fond of photography and helped her husband to realize the most seemingly unthinkable fantasies. One of these projects was the creation of the world‘s largest telescope.
Telescope Leviathan
The main attraction of Birr Castle is the Leviathan Telescope. This name was given to him for his cyclopean size. At the time of its creation in 1845, it was the largest telescope in the world. This structure, weighing 15 tons, cost £20,000. The main mirror, which collects the light of distant stars, was made of an alloy of copper and tin. Due to its gigantic size and complexity of processing, its preparation lasted about three years. The finished mirror was a disk 183 cm in diameter, 15 cm thick and weighing 3 tons. The telescope tube, 18 meters long, was made of spruce, fastened with iron rings.
In order to bring his idea to life, the count had to create an entire factory on the territory of his estate and teach the peasants the complex sciences of making optical instruments. The workshops were equipped with everything necessary. William Parsons did not skimp on technical innovations.
Everything was thought out to the smallest detail, and such a colossus could be controlled by one person using a system of blocks and levers.
Thanks to this miracle of technology, Earl Ross III made a discovery that immortalized his name in astronomy. He saw the galaxies of the universe and its nebulae in a completely different light. It turns out that they have a spiral shape.
19th century photography workshop
Mary Ross, the earl's wife, became the first photographer in Ireland. Her photo studio was literally crammed with innovative features of the time. The spouses, greedy for technical innovations, spent a lot of money on them. After the mistress, no one touched anything here until 1983. The laboratory stood closed for almost a century.
This is why it is valuable for the history of photography. For those who are fond of photography, it will not be out of place to visit the Museum of Photographic Art. Not only photographs of the 19th century are exhibited here, but also reagents. In the museum, located in the castle, there is a description of different ways to take pictures.
Birr Castle Park
After studying the museums, the telescope and the scientific achievements of the former owners of Birr Castle, visitors stroll through the park of this beautiful piece of landscape art. A man-made park with artfully designed flower beds and green hedges turns into a completely wild forest with waterfalls and corners of untouched nature.
The park has graceful benches with monograms. On them, surrounded by flower beds and flowering shrubs, you can relax in the fresh air, take beautiful photos against the backdrop of nature and merge with it in another part of this splendor. Wandering along the openwork bridges, created by a human hand back in the Middle Ages and preserved to this day, you feel alone with nature and history.
Botanical Garden
For lovers of wildlife, the Botanical Garden of Birr Castle will be of interest. Flowers are grown here from all over the world. The local gardeners take great care of all this wealth. Thanks to their work, after ten years of dormancy, the “goat-horned tree” blossomed. In early June, you can observe the flowering of this beautiful plant, which is also called the Chinese tree. The seedling of this unique plant was brought to Ireland in the middle of the 20th century.
Count Ross himself
The title of Earl of Ross passes by inheritance to descendants. Now living in the castle, Brandan Parsons is the seventh generation of the famous dynasty. The castle, except for the photographic workshop of Mary Ross, is closed to the public. It is impossible to believe, but the beautiful medieval castle serves as the residence of today's descendants.
Count Ross the seventh in 1996 did everything possible to restore this monument of science and technology. A lot of effort was put into restoring the telescope and creating museums that exhibit the astronomer's manuscripts and his drawings, where he depicted what he saw in the vast Universe, looking into his mirror of the world.
Things to do
In the castle of Birr and its surroundings, you can walk at least a whole day. After all, this is a whole world in a huge area and there are so many interesting things for all tastes.
Someone might want to chat with the owner and his wife. The family often goes out to visit the park and tells the history of the count's estates with pleasure.
There are even tours that include a visit to the castle and lunch in the presence of the count and countess.
How to get on your own
This fabulous place (Birr Castle) is located in Ireland, in County Offaly. The best way to get to Dublin, the capital of Ireland, is by plane. Between the cities of Ireland to choose from: car, train, bus.
For those who prefer a measured journey with the contemplation of nature, a ferry is suitable. This mode of transport can reach the coast of the country.
Have a nice trip!