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Events

Fun Filled Memory Making Day Out For All Who Visit

St. Patrick’s Snake Trail

Dates: 15th – 19th March
Can you find the snakes that St. Patrick left behind?
Our trail of slithering snakes will lead you through the gardens and parkland of Birr Castle Demesne.
Find them all and discover their secret message to claim your sweet treat.
Trail is included in the General Admission price. Suitable for all ages.
No booking is required, admission tickets and trails available on arrival.

Easter Quest 2024

Join us in celebrating Easter and make the most of a fantastic family day out at Birr Castle Demesne this Midterm.
From Friday 22 March until Sunday 7 April, we will have our Easter Quest throughout the gardens from 09:00 – 16:00 daily.
Collect your Quest sheet and pencil from Reception upon arrival, and head off on your Easter Adventure! Follow the egg clues along the trail, unravel the Easter-themed puzzle, and head back to Reception to claim your well-deserved reward!
Each child will receive a small treat for completing the Quest.
The Courtyard Café will be open from 10am every day!
The Easter Quest is included in our General Admission tickets which can be purchased online HERE or upon arrival.
Friends of Birr Castle Demesne can enjoy complimentary access to the Easter Quest on all Easter Midterm dates.
Due to adverse weather hampering our Easter Event the past few years, we have decided not to run our usual Easter Egg Hunt on Easter Sunday and Monday. However the Easter Quest will run throughout the whole mid-term break, and is suitable for all ages.

Silly Science Camps this Easter!

Join STEM Communicator Seanie Morris as he hosts this fun and enjoyable Silly Science Camp at Birr Castle Demesne this Easter!
Not only will you be immersed in the wonderful nature of Birr Castle Demesne, but you will also get to complete some great activities such as:

-Powering a clock with fruit
-Nature walks
-Building & launching your own rocket

Dates: 25-28 March
Times: 10.00 – 14.30

For more information or booking contact Seanie on:
087 6825910
fun@steminaction.ie

‘Capturing the Essence of Spring’ – A Nature Photography Workshop

Join Jeff Harvey, a renowned Irish photographer for a photography workshop in the wonderful setting of Birr Castle Demesne as Spring continues to unfold around you.
This interactive workshop will teach you how to make the most of the camera on your phone as Jeff guides you through the Demesne and allow you to learn practical photography skills to capture high quality photos on your smartphone.

Suitable for adults only.
Participants of the workshop will have access to explore the Demesne before and after the workshop as part of their ticket.
All participants need to bring their own phone to use throughout the workshop

Date: Sunday, 12th May
Workshop 1: 12.00
Workshop 2: 14.30

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Copyright: Paul Sherwood Photography www.sherwood.ie. Birr Castle, Co Offaly. July 2014.

Castle Tour with General Admission

Guided tours of the interior of Birr Castle will run Monday to Saturday throughout May, June, July & August, with tours running at 10:00, 11:30 & 13:00 daily.

On your tour of the castle, your guide will lead you through a number of beautiful rooms while enlightening you on the history, the family, key pieces of furniture, and the collection of treasures within the rooms.

Pre-booking is essential for castle tours, and tours are suitable for age 12 upwards.

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“Bee Inspired”
The Importance of our Native Irish Honey Bee

Come and join John Greenaway and John Thorp of the Native Irish Honey Bee Society (NIHBS), as they delve into the importance of the Native Irish Honey Bee in our environment and how imperative their conservation is.

The NIHBS was established in 2012 by a group of beekeepers who wished to support the various strains of the Native Irish Honey Bee throughout the country. This is a cross-border organisation, open to all, that consists of representatives from all corners of the island of Ireland.

Join the conversation on how we, as an island, can help understand and protect our native Irish honey bees.

*More Information Coming Soon*

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Wonderworld Productions Fairy School


Fairy School with WonderWorld Productions is RETURNING to Birr Castle Demesne in 2024!!
Places are very limited and early booking is advised!
Hosted by the head pixie of Fairyland, Robyn Goodfellow and his Best Fairy Friends – Fairy School is the place to be for all believers and budding fairies in training!
This enchanting event will take your little one on an interactive adventure as they learn all about what it takes to be a fairy with lessons in friendship, kindness, good deeds, bravery and love
Bookings are now open via the links below:

*More Information Coming Soon*

Birr Castle Demesne Summer Camp

Our summer camps will take place over two separate weeks in July.

From 10.00-14.30 each day.

 Limited spaces per camp.
Unfortunately, this camp is not suitable for children with limited mobility. 

Lunch/break times include the schedule.

All children must bring their own packed lunch and notify, at the time of booking, of any allergies or medical conditions that could infringe on the ability to take part in the activities. Please dress for the outdoors and re-apply sun lotion to children in advance of the workshops.

*More Information Coming Soon*

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The Vintage Picnic 2024

Come enjoy the Vintage Picnic at Birr Castle Demesne as part of 56th Birr Vintage Week and Arts Festival 2024!

Lay down your picnic blankets and spread out your own vintage-style picnic. Try your hand at a game of Garden Croquet or Skittles.  A fun-filled memory-making day out for all. Includes time to explore the 120 acres of parkland and gardens, the Great Telescope, and the Treehouse Adventure Playground.

Prizes on the day for Best Looking Vintage Themed Picnic, Best Dressed Vintage Family and more!

The event will start at 12:30 and finish around 15:00.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION:

– Pre-booking is essential
– No BBQ/Fires
– Dogs must be kept on a lead
– No bikes/balls/hurls or drones
– Please note there is a walk of around 600 meters from the car park to the picnic site
– Standard booking T&Cs apply

If you don’t want to pack a picnic yourself, you can also pre-book your picnic for collection from our café at courtyardcafebcd@gmail.com, or your favourite café in Birr Town

Free for Friends of Birr Castle Demesne – please see latest Friends Newsletter or ask at reception. 

*More Information Coming Soon*

Nature Through the Lens’ – Photography Workshop

Join Jeff Harvey, a renowned Irish photographer for a photography workshop in the wonderful setting of Birr Castle Demesne as the warm autumnal colours flood into Birr Castle Demesne!

This interactive workshop will teach you how to make the most of the camera on your phone as Jeff guides you through the Demesne and allow you to learn practical photography skills to capture high quality photos on your smartphone.

Suitable for adults only.
Participants of the workshop will have access to explore the Demesne before and after the workshop as part of their ticket.
All participants need to bring their own phone to use throughout the workshop

Date: Sunday, 15th September
Workshop 1: 12.00
Workshop 2: 14.30

Autmn Suspension Bridge
PM Nov 21
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Space Week at Birr Castle – Family Rocket Workshop!

Space is only an hour’s drive away by car – upwards! Yet, we need some very powerful rockets to get there in only minutes to bring satellites and astronauts beyond Earth’s gravity into space. Have you wondered where rockets were first used, or how they work?
Seanie Morris is a renowned STEM Communicator and brings one of his favourite workshops to Birr Castle – Rocket Making AND Launching! Using materials supplied*, Seanie will demonstrate the principles behind rocketry while you make your own rocket. Then, into the meadows we go to launch them from the launch pad and see how high they get. Some have reached as high as 100 metres before!

*Participants will need to bring an empty 2 litre 7Up or Club Orange/Lemon bottle on the day (no lid or wrapping needed). Everything else is supplied, and you get to take your finished rocket home with you! 

Date: 5th October
Workshop 1: 11.00
Workshop 2: 13.30

Foraging through Birr Castle Demesne

Join Mary Bulfin as she shows us the diversity of foraging plants that exist at this time of the year and their usefulness in cooking, herbal medicines, teas, folkloric connections, and many other uses of these plants.

Dates: 12 & 13 October
Times: 11.00 & 14.00

Tickets include access to the 2-hour foraging session along with tea/coffee, soup & brown bread and a slice of traybake in the Courtyard Cafe afterwards.

This event is not suitable for children

Please wear suitable clothing and footwear throughout this 2-hour session.
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Birr Castle Demesne Halloween Camp

This Halloween, enjoy the wonders of Birr Castle Demesne on this exciting 4- day camp!
This Halloween Camp is sure to ignite your interest in nature, science and much much more!

Dates: 29th October – 01 November
Times: 10.00 – 14.30

*More Information Coming Soon*

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Guided Discovery Tour with General Admission

This fascinating 60 minute guided tour focuses on the rich heritage and phenomenal achievements in science, astronomy, photography, engineering, and botany attributed to the Parsons family who have lived at Birr Castle for 400 years.
After your tour enjoy free time in the 120-acre parkland and award-winning gardens with more than 4000 species of trees and plants.

Castle interiors not included. Pre-booking is highly recommended, click on the link below and choose your preferred Friday or Saturday date and the time and options will appear.  Please scroll down to your ticket option of Guided Discovery Tours.

*More Information Coming Soon*

Past Events at Birr Castle Demesne

The Peatlands Immersive Experience

The Peatlands is an immersive film imagined and curated by Charleen Hurtubise, involving various artists with a passion for our peatlands. The purpose of the project is to raise awareness of the importance of our peatlands, and to describe their stunning beauty through photography, video, soundscape and painting.

Admission to the Experience will be FREE, however general admission rates apply to those wishing to visit the gardens and parklands of Birr Castle Demesne.

*Completed for 2024*

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Brian Kennedy Walk & Talk

Join Brian Kennedy, renowned local historian on the occasion of the 403rd anniversary of the arrival of Laurence Parsons to Birr in a ‘Walk & Talk’ around the Demesne.

FREE for Friends – sign up at reception or email reception@birrcastle.com

*Spaces are limited so be sure to book your spot as soon as possible to avoid disappointment!

Please note this ‘Walk & Talk’ tour does NOT include access inside the Castle. The tour will take place around the Demesne.

*Completed for 2023*

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