Did You Know - Fascinating Facts About Birr Castle

3-Foot Telescope

Before building the Great Leviathan, the Third Earl of Rosse built a 3-foot (0.9m) telescope in 1839. Not only did the Third Earl use it to view the night sky, but it was also used by his son, the Fourth Earl who used it to help him measure the heat of the Moon in 1868.

The beautiful Magnolia delavayi

The beautiful Magnolia delavayi located along the Castle’s terraces during the months of September and October, was planted by the 5th Earl in 1912, and paid for with gold and silver, making it the most expensive plant purchased for the demesne collection.

The Formal Gardens

The Formal Gardens were created by the 6th Countess of Rosse Anne Messel. Lady Rosse designed the gardens in celebration of her marriage to the 6th Earl of Rosse Michael Parsons which took place on September 19th, 1935. Two matching benches were added to the gardens at this time. One bench is shaped like an A for Anne, and the other as an M for Michael.

Giant Redwood

Our Giant Redwood (Sequoiadendron giganteum) which can be found at the centre of the Formal Gardens was planted c. 1860, however since Redwoods often live for over 2000 years our tree is actually only a baby despite being over 160 years old!

Charles Parsons

The youngest son of the Third Earl, Charles Parsons was the inventor of the Marine Steam Turbine in 1884, which revolutionised marine transport and made electricity more affordable and more accessible. The process that he used is still in use today in jet engines.