Page 259 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Ireland

THE MIDLANDS  257

a Birr
Road map 4C. Co Offaly. * 4,100.
@ n May–Sep: Rosse Row
(05791 20110). Open Mon–Fri.
Birr, a gentrified estate town,
grew up in the shadow of the
castle where the Earls of Rosse
have resided for almost four
centuries. It is famous for its
authentic Georgian layout, with
houses displaying original
fanlights, door panelling and
iron railings. Two particularly
elegant streets are Oxmantown
Mall, designed by the 2nd Earl An alcove in the front hall of Emo Court with a trompe I’oeil ceiling
of Rosse, and John’s Mall.
Emmet Square may have sold their 9-m (30-ft), 200-year-old d Emo Court
its Georgian soul to commerce, box hedges and for the exotic Road map D4. 13 km (8 miles) NE of
but Dooley’s Hotel is still a fine trees and shrubs from foreign Portlaoise, Co Laois. Tel 05786 26573.
example of an old coaching expeditions sponsored by the £ to Monasterevin or Portlaoise.
inn. Foster’s bar, in nearby 6th Earl. The magnolias and House: Open Easter–Sep: 10am–6pm
Connaught Street, is one of maples are particularly striking. daily (last adm: 1hr before closing).
many traditional shopfronts The gardens over look the Gardens: Open daily. & 7 limited.
to have been restored in Birr. meeting of two rivers.
Emo Court, commissioned by
P Birr Castle Demesne s Slieve Bloom the Earl of Portarlington in 1790,
Rosse Row. Tel 05791 20336. Gardens represents the only foray into
Open mid-Mar–Oct: 9am– 6pm; Mountains domestic architecture by James
Nov–mid-Mar: 10am–4pm. Gandon, designer of the Custom
& 7 - = ∑ birrcastle.com Road map D4. Co Offaly and Co Laois. House in Dublin (see p92). The
£ to Mountmellick. n May–Sep:
Birr Castle was founded in 1620 Rosse Row, Birr (05791 20110). monumental Neo-Classical
by the Parsons, later Earls of mansion has a splendid façade
Rosse, and is still the family seat. This low range of mountains featuring an Ionic portico. Inside
They are most noted for their rises unexpectedly from the are a magnificent gilded rotunda
contribution to astronomy – a bogs and plains of Offaly and and fine stuccowork ceilings.
telescope named the Leviathan, Laois, providing a welcome Emo Court became the
built by the 3rd Earl in 1845, was change in the predominantly prop erty of the Office of Public
the largest in the world at the flat Midlands. You can walk Works in 1994 but the previous
time. The 17-m (56-ft) wooden along the Slieve Bloom Way, owner is still resident on the
tube, support ed by two walls, a 30-km (19-mile) circular trail grounds. These are adorned
can be seen in the grounds, fully through an unspoiled area of with fine statuary and include
restored. The Historic Science open vistas, deep wooded glens a lakeside walk.
Centre traces the family’s work. and mountain streams. There are
The castle is closed to the other marked paths too. Good f Rock of
public, but the glory of Birr lies starting points are Cadamstown,
in its grounds, which are open. with an attrac tive old mill, and Dunamase
First landscaped in the 18th the pretty village of Kinnitty – Road map D4. 5 km (3 miles) E of
century, these are famous for both in the northern foothills.
Portlaoise, Co Laois. £ to Portlaoise.
The Rock of Dunamase, which
looms dramatically above the
plains east of Portlaoise, has
long been a military site.
Originally crowned by an Iron
Age ring fort, the 13th-century
castle which succeeded it is
now more prominent – though
it was virtually destroyed by
Cromwellian forces in 1651. You
can reach the battered keep by
climbing up banks and ditches
through two gate ways and a
Rock of Dunamase viewed from Stradbally to the east fortified courtyard.
For hotels and restaurants in this region see p302 and pp321–3

256-257_EW_Ireland.indd 257 08/03/17 11:07 am