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Lawrence
Parsons was granted an 1,000
acre estate, his family were later ennobled as the Earls of Rosse, he
built this massive castle in the 1620's on the site of the Offaly stronghold
of the O'Carrolls, the local clan described as 'a hospitable,
fierce yellow haired race'. The Earls of Rosse as far as we know still
inhabit the castle. The castle was badly damaged by fire in 1823 it was
rebuilt in the Gothic Revival style.
Birr castle has gardens which extend
to 100 acres and are planted with flowering magnolias , cherry and crab
apple, hornbeam alleys and box hedges which are claimed to be the highest
in the world at 34 ft (32 M) The remains of the third Earls giant telescope
are to be seen in the grounds which are open to the public.
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