Tales From The Big House - Episode 6 - Birr Castle

David Norris is in Athy's Birr castle to explore the area's famous Great House which was once the home of the world's largest telescope.

[@tombarnwell5051]

I have been through the castle. Back in the 1980s when the IRA were burning down period buildings with British connections. As a fire officer. They were happy to invite me in to know the layout of the building in the event of a fire occurring. Thankfully we were never needed but I got a unique opportunity to see the splendid building. As a native of Birr I am very proud of Birr castle

[@bewareofpigeons]

How fascinating and what delightful people all, and how cosmopolitan the plantsmanship.

[@BRaff-hl4ip]

I have visited before and will visit again. It is a most wonderful way to spend a day.

[@marycahill546]

Bravo! Keep up the good work!

[@ALavin-en1kr]

I am at two minds watching this. It is all very nice but there were the peasants in their cottages and during penal times having to pay rent to the landowners, the settlers, from abroad and extra rent if they made any small improvement to their living conditions. They are the true heroes now as are their descendants at home and all around the world.

[@MrJeep75]

Awesome video, I'm a Parsons

[@cantanterodencanta5229]

Beutifull garden,some castle they have also they call lybirint sometimes the king and queen they play inside the lybirint to enjoy their days.

[@cantanterodencanta5229]

It's a precious castle

[@cantanterodencanta5229]

Every castle they have their own history.that will remain forever.

[@nong-vb6fd]

😍😍😍

[@peterbradshaw8018]

Is there anything on Kilboy the rebuild.

[@jumpons1]

watched it .

[@robnewman6101]

👑⚔️☘️🍀⚔️👑

[@lindacoll447]

His Lordship! do people still use those terms in Ireland, though I was watching a weird episode of Downton Abbey. The house and history is interesting, but seriously His Lordship is that necessary, perhaps the owner insisted on this antiquated address system, not sure I could demean myself earl or not earl, its obselete

[@firstglass1696]

"The owner" definitely didn´t insist on this address, I met him by chance when I was visiting Birr Demesne 3 years ago; he´s such a humble person, didn´t even tell us who he was and told us a lot of details about the plants we were interested in.

[@bewareofpigeons]

I think it's your preconceptions you're revealing. Am sure Lord Rosse didn't insist on anything of the kind.

[@ewright4108]

Re-writing history. I would like to know how much the telescope cost to build in 1845, how much did the Parsons give to famine relief and where their income of that period came from.

[@colmdhogan]

The telescope cost around £20,000 to build and was funded by the 3rd Countess’s fortune which she inherited from her father who was a wealthy estate owner in Yorkshire England. She also used her fortune to fund several famine relief schemes which employed and fed over 500 local men, and the Parsons also brought over expert agricultural advisers from England to teach locals to grow crops other than the potato crop which had failed. They are credited with saving the lives of hundreds of local families in the locality. Perhaps read the history before claiming it to be rewritten.👍🏻

[@irisheye7430]

@@colmdhogan Yes. They were great people, living off the estates they built on the blood of Irishmen. Sure what would the Irish have done without their selfless presence?

[@firstglass1696]

@@irisheye7430 Brandon Parsons most likely feels more Irish than British, he still employs a lot of people, tries to popularise the scientific achievements of Ireland and also supports e.g. the LOFAR project.

[@brendancoburn427]

@@irisheye7430 You are pathetic. You are nobody to judge anybody else.

[@bewareofpigeons]

Oh dear....🙄

[@dingleberryridesagain3606]

Well I grew up in Stickapopple house in North Dublin, we used to have great parties replete with Kidneys and Pigs Trotters,this was before the awful little man,Charlie the Turd with the help of his peasant type friends,a classic bollix, moved in with his classless offspring very common indeed!! Hard to believe but the Parsons friend Cannon Mulgrew has his balls hanging on the wall,,rather distasteful I'd say myself,nuff said,there are a few of the Stickapopple s remaining in West Offaly,they are to be avoided really,rather rum bunch, yes indeed you know who your are ,Cedric and Georgina, as I say ,To be avoided!!!

[@Jubilo1]

Difficult not to despise the Catholic Irish, I.R.A. et. al.

[@jalalmoro]

But there are many Protestant Irish Republicans

[@Jubilo1]

@@jalalmoro Yes, I know but historically they're the first ones to get massacred or driven out.

[@jalalmoro]

@@Jubilo1 no doubt there has been sectarian atrocities in Ireland but the Republican movement is a national liberation movement that seeks to unite Catholic protestant and disenter

[@Jubilo1]

@@jalalmoro Nice idea but failed. They were actually united under Crown rule . Cromwell tried to introduce republicanism but the Irish royalists fought him. Maybe the entire island could be annexed to New York.

[@grahamfleming8139]

The garden itself is the great legacy the present upholder of the estate leaves. Uabhasach, uabhasach breagha nach eil.