Guided Discovery Tour with General Admission
€14.00pp
Outdoor Tour. Castle Interiors not included. Pre-booking is highly recommended. Limited spaces, 25 people per tour. The 60 minute Guided Discovery Tour starts with our Welcome Video, followed by an outside tour so please dress in comfortable walking shoes and bring a rain jacket just in case. Please arrive 30 minutes prior to your booked tour time to allow time for entry process and to know start location of your tour.
Tour includes:
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. Gain profound insights into the castle and family history, view the awe-inspiring Great Telescope of 1845 – the biggest in the world for over 70 years, followed by seasonal highlights in the gardens. After your tour enjoy free time in the 120-acre parkland and award-winning gardens with more than 4000 species of trees and plants. Tour tickets are sold up to 24 hours prior to the tour date.
*Completed for 2023*
Guided Castle Tour with General Admission
€20.00 per person
13th May – 9th September 2023
Mon-Sat 10:00, 11:30, 13:00
Limited spaces – 15 visitors per tour. Pre-booking is essential. Not suitable for children under 12 years. Face coverings are recommended. Please arrive 30 minutes prior to your booked tour time to allow time for entry process and to know start location of your tour.
Tour description:
Visitors are welcomed to one of Ireland’s most intriguing destinations, steeped in scientific achievements and home to the remarkable Parsons family for 400 years. This rare opportunity brings visitors inside the castle to explore the magnificent interiors of five main reception rooms with their exquisite craftsmanship. Each tour is guided and lasts 60 minutes.
*Please note the castle is a listed property with many steps, unfortunately it is not wheelchair accessible.
Tours run Monday to Saturday only. Click below to pre-book your tour. Select your chosen date from 13 May to 09 September, and then select Guided Castle Tour from the dropdown menu.
Guided Garden Tour
€14.50pp
POSTPONED TO SPRING 2024
Pre-booking is highly recommended. Limited spaces. The Guided Garden Tour is a 90-minute tour of the seasonal garden highlights of the demesne, lead by a dedicated member of our garden team. Please dress in comfortable walking shoes and bring a rain jacket just in case. Please arrive 30 minutes prior to your booked tour time to allow time for entry process and to know start location of your tour.
Tour includes:
In the expert hands of a Birr Castle garden team member, explore the award-winning gardens and parklands on this breath-taking 120-acre (50-hectares) demesne, with a collection of over 4,000 trees and plants from the four corners of the world. Breathe deep and feel the connection with nature within magical surroundings that celebrate the Parsons Family’s 400-year commitment to horticulture and botany. Free time following your tour allows you explore further this amazing demesne, science galleries, Great telescope and I-LOFAR. The tour guide will focus on best in season at the time of your tour.
