We are used to hearing of the formal gardens at Birr Castle Demesne and the famous box hedges. The landscape of the demesne has been manicured since the time of Mary, the third Countess of Rosse in the 1840s and 1850s. Later the fifth, sixth and the present seventh earl have devoted much time to demesne improvements. The Illustrated London News in an issue of 1843 was the first periodical with an international circulation to devote space to the demesne (see our earlier blog). In the mid-1960s it was Country Life with the distinguished architectural historian , Mark Girouard, who wrote up three articles on the castle and one on the town of Birr.
Girouard, M (1965a). ‘Birr Castle, Co. Offaly – I,II,III’. Country Life, Vol. CXXXVII No. 3547, 25th February, pp410-414; No. 3548, 4th March, pp468-471; No. 3549, 11th March, pp526-529.
Girouard, M (1965c). ‘The Irish town at its best: Birr, Co. Offaly‘. Country Life, Vol. CXXXVIII, No. 3568, 22 July, pp224-227.
Later ‘Darling’ Lanning Roper would write up pieces on Birr:
Roper, Lanning. 1964a. ‘A panoply of planting‘. Country Life, CXXXVI (3529), 22nd October, pp1024-1026. [Birr] Roper, Lanning. 1964b. ‘An arboretum that bridges time’. Country Life, CXXXVI (3530), 29th October, pp1154-1157. [Birr]
And also Lord Rosse in
Rosse, Earl of (1979) ‘Plant introductions to Ireland from the Himalayas and the Far East’. In Nelson, E. C and Brady A (eds) Irish Gardening and Horticulture. Royal Horticultural Society of Ireland, Dublin, pp137-150.
Now the mood music has changed as many of us have come to like the meadow in the landscape and to appreciate its value. So also in Birr Castle Demesne with lots of people photographing their children in the meadow to the front of Birr Castle. This was first captured by George Petrie in 1820 and brought to the notice of the public in Brewer’s two-volume work:
Brewer, J.N. 1826. The Beauties of Ireland: Being Original Delineations, Topographical, Historical and Biographical, of Each County. Two Volumes. London: Sherwood: Gilbert and Piper.
Now John Feehan has greatly added to our knowledge (as always) with details the evolution of today’s meadows, how they were managed in the past and what role they may have in the future. The grass species are detailed in his new book along with the flowering plants found in meadows.
For anyone interested in grass management and biodiversity it is very interesting reading and a very useful guide.
It is greatly enhanced by the photographs of Tina Claffey and Rachel McKenna’s with additional drawings by Rachel.
For more of an insight you can see a video on Offaly Heritage youtube channel. https://youtu.be/f-EEN1aSDiQ
The book received grant aid from the Heritage Council under the Offaly County Heritage Plan 2023-27.
The book is available from the Shop at Birr Castle Demesne and at our Offaly History shop at Bury Quay and from their online shop for €20.00. Offaly History also stocks posters of the wonderful Mary Ward image at the end of the video. We are also stocking many other books of John Feehan including the recent Camcor study.
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