At this place, a Norman fortress was built back in 1170. From the
14th to the 17th century, this was the residence of the
O'Carroll family, which reigned over the region, then known
as Ely O'Carroll. In 1620, the property was awarded to
Sir Larence Parsons, who subsequently built the castle. It has been altered
and extended several times over the centuries and survived various sieges.
In 1840, The 3rd Earl of Rosse, whose descendants still live
in the castle, designed and built a huge
telescope
which he placed in the castles's park. For more than 70 years, it was the biggest
telescope in the world, so its name Leviathan was well justified. Thanks
to this masterpiece, the Earl was the first person to discover the so called
Whirlpool Galaxy. For further information, please go to
http://www.birrcastle.com.
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