The town was called by ancient writers 'The navel of Ireland' or 'Umbilicus Hiberniae', since it is located almost in the centre of the island. This point was once marked by the Seefin stone that stood on the road south of Roscrea, it is now in John's mall in Birr town.

Birr was founded in the 6th century by St Brendan of Birr. In 1620 an English family from Norfolk Parsons were granted 1000 acres and they built the town around their castle. The castles builder Lawrence Parsons had a reputation for harshness. To his credit though he started a glass factory and established a weekly market.

Most visitors to Birr come to see the castle and grounds, which are among the finest in Ireland. Most of the present structure dates from around 1620 when Sir Laurence Parsons was granted the estate. A later Laurence presided over alterations to the castle in the early 19th century, which left it almost exactly as you see it today. In 1820 the castle was fortified again after a local Protestant woman, Mrs Legge, convinced her brethren that the Catholics were going to rise up and kill them in their beds.

The demesne, which runs north from the castle, consists of 50 hectares of magnificent gardens set around a large artificial lake. The gardens hold over 1000 species of shrubs and trees from all over the world. Of particular interest is the collection from the Himalayas and China, brought back from the 6th earl's 1935 honeymoon in Peking. You will also find the tallest box hedges in the world, which were planted in the 1780s and now stand some 12 metres high. A catalogue of the plant collection is available at the entrance.

Today the castle is the private home of Lord and Lady Rosse and is not open to casual visitors, although group visits may be possible if arranged well in advance. Inquiries should be directed to: Estate Office (0509-20056), Rosse Row, Birr, County Offaly. The gardens are open May to September from 9 am and 6 pm daily, and for the rest of the year from 9 am to 1 pm and 2 pm to 5 pm daily.