Birr 2011

		Birr 2011

01-Feb-2012

Trip to Birr Castle Demesne, 20-21 August 2011.

On Sunday the 20th of August we went to the historical town of Birr, Co. Offaly formally known as Parsons town in Queens County and it was here at the home of the Parson family they being the Earl’s of Ross we assembled. We had a light lunch in lovely sunshine and afterwards we went to see the famous telescope and walked around the gardens. Before going to the telescope we visited the exhibition area which has an engineering, astronomy and photography section with special emphasis on the brilliant design and assembly of the world famous Birr Reflecting Telescope. In the early 1840’s the third Earl designed and built the largest telescope in the World. He discovered the spiral nature of some of the galaxies and people came in their 100s to Birr to witness this phenomenon. This leviathan as it is known remains in the centre of the Demense.

Leaving Birr Castle we drove a short distance to our hotel, The County Arms where we stayed overnight. It was very pleasant and good value, we had an excellent dinner and great service despite there also being a wedding in the hotel. In the afternoon I visited the town centre of Birr and I found on display a canon brought back from the Crimean War from the Battle of Sebastopol where large numbers of Irishmen lost their lives in one of the biggest blunders in military history. Many of these soldiers were from the 88th Regiment of Foot which later became the Connaught Rangers. Their founder being John Thomas de Burgo Earl of Clonricarde whose home we visited the following day.

The following morning we drove to Portumna in Co. Galway to visit Portumna Castle as if one castle wasn’t enough! This semi fortified house was built in 1618 by Richard de Burgo Earl of Clanricarde. It was their family home for over 200 years until it was destroyed by fire in 1826. Fifteen Earls owned Portumna Castle up to 1916. In the latter years the last Earl Herbert George de Burgo Canning died. On his death the estate passed to his nephew Henry Viscount Lascalles later the 3rd Earl of Harewood where as many of you know is the location of the Northern JEC day in England. Portumna House and Gardens were acquired by the Irish Government in 1948, the castle is now in the care of the OPW and is the subject of continuing restoration which commenced in 1968. Lunch followed at a local restaurant in Portumna and mid-afternoon we returned home. We were extremely lucky with the wonderful weather we enjoyed throughout the weekend.

John F. Sheehan.