A legacy Of Over 400 Years
The castle, as you see it today, has been home to the Parsons family for over 400 years. During this time, it has been added onto, and each generation has made its mark, with the most recent additions by the 6th Countess of Rosse.
The Parsons family
The Parsons family arrived at Birr in July of 1620, acquiring the ruined fortress of Birr. It had been an O’Carroll castle but had, for some twenty years, belonged to the Ormond Butlers. Sir Laurence, one of four brothers living in Ireland at the end of the 16th century, had been working with his cousin Richard Boyle, the great Earl of Cork (to whom he was related through the Fenton family in Youghal). Laurence died suddenly in 1628 and was succeeded by his second son, William, who was ably supported by his mother, Anne, née Malham, a Yorkshirewoman related to the Tempest family.
The Great Telescope
In the early 1840s, the Third Earl of Rosse designed and built the largest telescope in the world. With this telescope, he discovered the spiral nature of some galaxies, and from 1845 to 1914, anyone wishing to witness this phenomenon had to come to Birr. And they came, in their hundreds, from across Europe and beyond, to observe the stars with Lord Rosse or simply to marvel at this feat of engineering in the middle of Ireland.
Ireland's Historic Science Centre
The Historic Science Centre is a must-visit, showcasing the captivating story of this unique site and the remarkable family behind it, brought to life through early photography, engineering marvels, and groundbreaking astronomy.
Explore an exceptional collection of stories, heritage, and intriguing artifacts that enrich your visit and set the stage for an even more rewarding journey through the surrounding demesne.
Rosse Observatory
Welcome to the Rosse Observatory, operated by Trinity College Dublin and the Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies. The observatory is dedicated to studying radio emissions from astronomical objects, such as the Sun, pulsars, and other variable sources.
Women In Science
The women of Birr Castle have contributed to its scientific success on many levels, with two key contributors being Mary Rosse, the 3rd Countess of Rosse, and Mary Ward, the first cousin of the 3rd Earl of Rosse.
The castle of Birr
The castle, or fortress of Birr, was preoccupied by the O’Carrolls, who held it until the 1580s, when it was sold to the Ormond Butlers. In 1620, the now ruined castle was granted to the Parsons family by James I. Rather than occupy the tower house of the O’Carrolls, the Parsons decided to turn the Norman Gate Tower into their home, building on either side and incorporating two flanking towers. Sir Laurence Parsons did a large amount of building and remodeling, including the construction of the two flanking towers, before his death in 1628.
Archives - The Rosse Papers
The Rosse papers are one of the most important collections of manuscripts in private ownership in Ireland, extending from the early seventeenth century, when members of the family first established roots in the country, to the present. The core of the family archives is provided by the papers of successive members of the Parsons family. This calendar is an essential piece of reading for anyone interested in the history of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Ireland, as well as science in the nineteenth century. It also tells the evolving story of the surviving families of the Irish landed elite in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, highlighting the influence of a particular family that, over several centuries, not only transformed Birr into one of the country’s most elegant small towns but also constructed and sustained one of the finest country houses and its gardens.