The History of Birr
Today, Birr is best known as one of Ireland’s most stunning heritage towns, resplendent with Georgian architecture and the famous Birr Castle, which remains home to the Earls of Rosse and features over 120 acres of formal gardens, one of the world’s most renowned plant collections, and just a four-minute drive or a twenty-minute stroll from the County Arms.
Located at the very heart of Ireland and on the doorstep of some of our country’s most beautiful natural habitats and significant cultural sites, Birr is steeped in Irish history, with its beginnings dating back to before the 6th Century, when St. Brendan established his famous monastery here.
It was around St. Brendan’s ancient site that a medieval town grew, witnessing key events including in 697 A.D., the enactment of the Cáin Adomnáin, a Brehon Law that protected women and children, widely recognised now as the world’s first Declaration of Human Rights.
Around 800 A.D., a version of the Four Gospels was created by the scribe MacRegol, handwritten and beautifully illustrated, now known as the Book of Birr. While the original text sits in the Bodleian Library in Oxford, a superb facsimile can be viewed in Birr Library today, just a five-minute walk from the County Arms.
In 1619, the entire area came under English control and Birr Castle, and 1277 acres of land, was passed to the Earl of Rosse. In the following centuries, the Rosse family constructed the elegant Georgian perimeter that can still be seen today, creating houses and avenues in the Georgian style.
Astronomy and science are part of the DNA of Birr, dating back to the late 1840s when the third Earl of Rosse built The Leviathan, a giant reflector telescope, which for over 70 years was the biggest in the world. The little gold stars in the County Arms logo are a nod to Birr’s starry legacy. Astronomers and scientists travelled to Birr from the four corners of the planet to see Leviathan, which was used to map the surface of the moon. It still draws thousands of stargazers throughout the year, who also enjoy the interactive exhibitions at the Science Centre which has been founded on the grounds of the castle.
