Historic telescope mirror returns to its home in Offaly

AN historic telescope mirror was returned to its rightful home, Birr Castle Demesne, during the summer months.

At the beginning of July Dr Cecil Farrar (associated with the beautifully restored Grantstown Castle in Tipperary) met with the Parsons family in the Demesne's Historic Science Centre and handed over the 3 foot telescope mirror, which once operated within a telescope (not to be confused with the more famous Leviathan) owned by the Fourth Earl of Rosse.

Dr Farrar lives near Inverness in Scotland and spent a number of his childhood years in Birr, where his father worked as Head Forester in the Castle Estate. Dr Farrar said he loves Birr and has very happy memories of growing up here.

Handing over the mirror he said that when he discovered it was being auctioned in England he decided to buy it and return it to Birr Castle.

The three foot mirror helped the Fourth Earl measure the heat of the moon in 1868.

Birr Castle said it was very thankful to Dr Farrar for bringing the historic artefact home. “Cecil also joined us,” the Castle's Facebook page added, “for a heartwarming trip to witness the restoration of three of our historic bridges in the Demesne, a touching visit as his father crafted the original bridges over 60 years ago. Cecil explained to us how his father made the concrete support columns for the bridges with Heisenberg sacks filled with cement. We also looked at a group of planks sawn in Birr Sawmills from the bridge built by his father over 60 years ago.”

The Third Earl of Rosse built the 3-foot telescope in 1839 (before building the Leviathan) and used it to view the night sky. A year after his death the Fourth Earl used it to measure the heat of the Moon. The 3-foot telescope was dismantled in 1914.