Birr, County Offaly facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Birr
Biorra
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Town
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Emmet Square, Birr
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 Birr
Location in Ireland
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| Country | Ireland | |
| Province | Leinster | |
| County | County Offaly | |
| Dáil constituency | Laois–Offaly | |
| Elevation | 75 m (246 ft) | |
| Population
(2016)
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5,741 | |
| • Urban | 4,370 | |
| • Rural | 1,371 | |
| Time zone | UTC±0 (WET) | |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC+1 (IST) | |
| Eircode |
R42
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| Telephone area code | 057 | |
| Irish Grid Reference | N058045 | |
| Historical population | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Pop. | ±% |
| 1821 | 5,406 | — |
| 1831 | 6,594 | +22.0% |
| 1841 | 6,336 | −3.9% |
| 1851 | 5,480 | −13.5% |
| 1861 | 5,401 | −1.4% |
| 1871 | 4,939 | −8.6% |
| 1881 | 4,955 | +0.3% |
| 1891 | 4,313 | −13.0% |
| 1901 | 4,438 | +2.9% |
| 1911 | 4,047 | −8.8% |
| 1926 | 3,402 | −15.9% |
| 1936 | 3,297 | −3.1% |
| 1946 | 3,224 | −2.2% |
| 1951 | 3,285 | +1.9% |
| 1956 | 3,922 | +19.4% |
| 1961 | 3,872 | −1.3% |
| 1966 | 3,924 | +1.3% |
| 1971 | 3,981 | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 4,262 | +7.1% |
| 1986 | 4,194 | −1.6% |
| 1991 | 4,056 | −3.3% |
| 1996 | 4,193 | +3.4% |
| 2002 | 4,436 | +5.8% |
| 2006 | 5,081 | +14.5% |
| 2011 | 5,818 | +14.5% |
| 2016 | 5,741 | −1.3% |
Birr (pronounced "bur") is a town in County Offaly, Ireland. Its name comes from the Irish word Biorra, which means "plain of water". For many years, between 1620 and 1899, it was known as Parsonstown. This name came from the Parsons family, who owned a lot of land there.
Birr is special because it's an Irish Heritage Town. This means it has kept many of its beautiful old buildings from the Georgian period. You'll see wide, elegant streets and houses with fancy windows.
The town is also famous for Birr Castle and its amazing gardens. This castle is the home of the Parsons family. It was once home to the Leviathan of Parsonstown, which was the biggest telescope in the world for over 70 years!
Contents
Getting Around Birr
Birr is located near where the River Camcor and Little Brosna River meet. The Little Brosna River then flows into the larger River Shannon.
If you like flying, the Ormond Flying Club has been at Birr Airfield for more than 30 years.
The town is connected by important roads, like the N52 and N62. You can also travel by bus. Bus Éireann offers services, and a private bus company, Kearns, has direct routes to Dublin and Galway.
Birr used to have a train station. It opened in 1858 but closed in 1963.
Birr's Past: A Look Back
Early Days of Birr
A long time ago, a monastery was started here by St Brendan of Birr. Famous old books, like the MacRegol Gospels, came from this monastery. In the year 697, an important meeting called the Synod of Birr took place here. During this meeting, a special law called the Cáin Adomnáin (law of innocents) was announced.
In ancient Ireland, Birr was part of the O'Carroll family's land, called Éile. This area is now the south of County Offaly and part of County Tipperary. The O'Carroll family had a castle where Birr Castle stands today. Birr became a market town and a place where soldiers were stationed around the 1620s.
Birr Barracks: A Military Past
Birr Barracks was an important military base. It became the main center for the Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians) starting in 1881. Sadly, the barracks was burned down in 1922 during the Irish Civil War. Today, only the outer wall remains. Outside this wall, there's a monument to remember the soldiers from the Leinster Regiment who died serving their country.
What to See in Birr
Georgian Style in Birr
Birr is known as an Irish Heritage Town because it has so many beautiful Georgian buildings. These buildings, with their classic style, started appearing around the 1740s. You can see them in places like Emmet Square and Emmet Street.
In the middle of Emmet Square, there's a tall column from 1747. It used to have a statue of the Duke of Cumberland, but it was removed in 1915.
The Oxmantown Mall was created in the early 1800s. It was a lovely walk leading from Birr Castle to the Church of Ireland. It has trees on one side and grand Georgian houses on the other.
John's Mall also has fine Georgian buildings. This area is sometimes called "the chains" because of the strong chain railings around the central green areas.
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The Seffin Stone is a very old stone that some say marks the center of Ireland. It has marks that are as old as places like Newgrange. Legends say the marks are from the hand of Fionn MacCuthaill, a famous Irish giant. Near the stone, you'll also see an old cannon called The Crimean Gun. It was given to Birr after the Crimean War.
In Emmet Square, you'll find Dooly's Hotel. It's one of Ireland's oldest hotels, built in 1747. A famous singer, Dame Nellie Melba, once sang to crowds from her hotel room balcony here! The hotel's nightclub is even named "Melba's" after her.
Churches and Buildings
Birr has several interesting churches. On Wilmer Road, there's a Catholic church built in a Gothic style. St. Brendan's Church of Ireland, also Gothic, is in the Oxmantown Mall. There's also a smaller Methodist Church, built in 1820.
The Sisters of Mercy convent on Wilmer Road is another Gothic-style building. Part of it has been turned into local government offices and a public library.
Birr Castle and Gardens
In the 1500s, the O'Carroll family had a castle here. Around 1620, it was given to Sir Lawrence Parsons. He built most of the current castle. The castle was attacked twice in the 1600s, and one of its towers still shows marks from cannons.
Birr Castle is still the home of the Earls of Rosse. The current owner is Brendan Parsons, 7th Earl of Rosse. While most of the castle is a private home, some parts can be visited on special tours. The beautiful castle grounds and gardens are open to visitors every day. They have waterfalls, rivers, a lake, and two amazing telescopes!
The 'Leviathan of Parsonstown': A Giant Telescope
The most famous thing at Birr Castle is the huge Leviathan of Parsonstown telescope. It has a giant metal mirror, 72 inches wide! The 3rd Earl of Rosse built it. Until 1917, it was the largest telescope in the world. Scientists used it to discover the spiral shape of nebulae (giant clouds of gas and dust in space).
Workhouse: A Glimpse into the Past
The workhouse in Syngefield opened in 1842, just before the Great Famine. It's mostly empty now and not open to the public.
Birr's Famous Firsts
Birr is known for a sad "first" in history. On August 31, 1869, the first recorded road death happened here. A local scientist named Mary Ward fell from a steam-powered car and was badly hurt.
Also, a person named Charles Carroll of Carrollton, who was related to the O'Carrolls of Birr, was the only Catholic to sign the United States Declaration of Independence.
Education and Services
Birr has three primary schools: St Brendan's Boys school, Mercy Primary School, and the Model Primary School. It also has one secondary school, St. Brendan's Community School.
Sports in Birr
Hurling: A Local Passion
Birr is very proud of its hurling team, Birr GAA. They have won the All-Ireland championship four times! Many of their best players went to St. Brendan's Community School.
The very first All-Ireland hurling final was played in Birr on April 1, 1888. Tipperary played against Galway. Tipperary won the match. This game holds a record for the lowest score ever in a hurling match!
Rugby: A Long History
Birr RFC, the local rugby club, started in 1887. It has been around for a long time, though it stopped playing for a while during the World Wars. It started up again in 1963 and has been active ever since.
Golf: On the Green
Birr Golf Club is an 18-hole golf course that opened in 1893. It moved to its current location in 1909.
Fun Events and Festivals
Every August, Birr hosts the annual Birr Vintage Week and Arts Festival. It's a week-long event with a vintage parade, markets, music, and theatre shows. Birr also has other festivals, like the Birr Festival of Music and the Hullabaloo! Offaly's Children's Arts Festival.
The Birr Theatre and Arts Centre, located in the Oxmantown Mall, is a great place for shows. It's a beautiful Victorian-style building from 1889 and can seat 220 people.
Famous People from Birr
- Luka Bloom: A singer who wrote many songs while living in Birr.
- Eamon Bulfin: An Irish republican who raised the Irish flag during the 1916 Easter Rising.
- Des Keogh: A well-known actor, born in Birr in 1935.
- Mundy: A popular musician.
- Bernadette O'Farrell: An actress famous for playing Maid Marian in the TV show The Adventures of Robin Hood.
- William Parsons, 3rd Earl of Rosse: The astronomer who built the giant telescope at Birr Castle.
- Aidan Quinn: A famous actor.
- Mary Ward: The first person to die in a car accident, in 1869.
- Brian Whelahan: A famous hurler.
Birr's Climate
Birr has an oceanic climate, which means it has cool winters and mild summers. It gets a good amount of rain throughout the year.
| Climate data for Birr (1979–2008, extremes 1881–2009) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °C (°F) | 15.0 (59.0) |
15.6 (60.1) |
21.7 (71.1) |
23.7 (74.7) |
25.7 (78.3) |
31.2 (88.2) |
30.8 (87.4) |
29.4 (84.9) |
26.6 (79.9) |
23.3 (73.9) |
17.9 (64.2) |
15.6 (60.1) |
31.2 (88.2) |
| Mean daily maximum °C (°F) | 8.1 (46.6) |
8.6 (47.5) |
10.3 (50.5) |
12.6 (54.7) |
15.5 (59.9) |
17.8 (64.0) |
19.6 (67.3) |
19.3 (66.7) |
17.1 (62.8) |
13.6 (56.5) |
10.4 (50.7) |
8.6 (47.5) |
13.5 (56.3) |
| Daily mean °C (°F) | 5.1 (41.2) |
5.3 (41.5) |
6.8 (44.2) |
8.4 (47.1) |
11.0 (51.8) |
13.6 (56.5) |
15.6 (60.1) |
15.3 (59.5) |
13.2 (55.8) |
10.1 (50.2) |
7.2 (45.0) |
5.6 (42.1) |
9.8 (49.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °C (°F) | 2.0 (35.6) |
2.0 (35.6) |
3.3 (37.9) |
4.3 (39.7) |
6.6 (43.9) |
9.5 (49.1) |
11.6 (52.9) |
11.3 (52.3) |
9.3 (48.7) |
6.6 (43.9) |
4.0 (39.2) |
2.7 (36.9) |
6.1 (43.0) |
| Record low °C (°F) | −15.6 (3.9) |
−12.9 (8.8) |
−10.5 (13.1) |
−6.7 (19.9) |
−3.3 (26.1) |
−0.3 (31.5) |
2.7 (36.9) |
1.2 (34.2) |
−1.9 (28.6) |
−7.8 (18.0) |
−9.4 (15.1) |
−12.3 (9.9) |
−15.6 (3.9) |
| Average precipitation mm (inches) | 78.8 (3.10) |
58.6 (2.31) |
67.4 (2.65) |
55.0 (2.17) |
59.5 (2.34) |
66.5 (2.62) |
59.4 (2.34) |
81.6 (3.21) |
66.4 (2.61) |
94.2 (3.71) |
74.7 (2.94) |
83.8 (3.30) |
845.7 (33.30) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.2 mm) | 19 | 15 | 19 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 18 | 17 | 19 | 18 | 18 | 206 |
| Average snowy days | 3.5 | 2.6 | 2.5 | 0.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.9 | 11.7 |
| Average relative humidity (%) | 82.4 | 75.6 | 71.6 | 65.1 | 64.7 | 66.2 | 67.5 | 68.5 | 70.3 | 76.1 | 81.1 | 84.5 | 72.8 |
| Mean monthly sunshine hours | 46.5 | 62.2 | 89.9 | 135.0 | 158.1 | 129.0 | 120.9 | 124.0 | 105.0 | 89.9 | 57.0 | 43.4 | 1,160.9 |
| Mean daily sunshine hours | 1.5 | 2.2 | 2.9 | 4.5 | 5.1 | 4.3 | 3.9 | 4.0 | 3.5 | 2.9 | 1.9 | 1.4 | 3.2 |
| Source: Met Éireann | |||||||||||||
Images for kids
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Emmet Square, Birr
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Birr Coat of Arms
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Main Street, Birr
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Georgian houses on Oxmantown Mall
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Emmet Square (formerly Cumberland Square) around 1880-1900. The statue was removed in 1915.
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The castle.
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The giant telescope and its support structure
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Birr Theatre and Arts Centre
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St Brendan's Church of Ireland
See also
In Spanish: Birr (Irlanda) para niños
