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Birr Castle is a large castle in the town of Birr in County Offaly, Ireland. It is home of the seventh Earl of Rosse.
The "Great Telescope"
A main feature on the grounds of the castle is the "Great Telescope" or Leviathan of the third Earl of Rosse, an astronomical telescope with a 72-inch reflector. It was completed in 1845 and was used for several decades before the last observations were made in the first years of the 1900s. Its record size was not surpassed until the completion of the 100-inch Hooker Telescope in 1917. It was dismantled in 1914, but has been restored and is open to the public.
Box Hedges
The castle is home to Box Hedges that are over 300 years old. They are also, according to The Guinness Book of Records, the tallest hedge in the world.
Ireland's Historic Science Centre
Birr Castle is home to Ireland's Historic Science Centre, a museum of Ireland's historic scientists and their contributions to astronomy and botany.
External links
- The Birr Scientific and Heritage Foundation
- Birr Castle Demesne
- Birr Castle Demesne at Irish Travel Ideas site
- Dan Heller's (recent) images of Birr Castle and gardens
- Restoration of the Great Telescope
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