Fun Filled Memory Making Day Out For All Who Visit
St. Patrick’s Snake Trail
Easter Quest 2024
Silly Science Camps this Easter!
Join STEM Communicator Seanie Morris as he hosts this fun and enjoyable Silly Science Camp at Birr Castle Demesne this Easter!
Not only will you be immersed in the wonderful nature of Birr Castle Demesne, but you will also get to complete some great activities such as:
-Powering a clock with fruit
-Nature walks
-Building & launching your own rocket
Dates: 25-28 March
Times: 10.00 – 14.30
For more information or booking contact Seanie on:
087 6825910
fun@steminaction.ie
‘Capturing the Essence of Spring’ – A Nature Photography Workshop
Join Jeff Harvey, a renowned Irish photographer for a photography workshop in the wonderful setting of Birr Castle Demesne as Spring continues to unfold around you.
This interactive workshop will teach you how to make the most of the camera on your phone as Jeff guides you through the Demesne and allow you to learn practical photography skills to capture high quality photos on your smartphone.
Suitable for adults only.
Participants of the workshop will have access to explore the Demesne before and after the workshop as part of their ticket.
All participants need to bring their own phone to use throughout the workshop
Date: Sunday, 12th May
Workshop 1: 12.00
Workshop 2: 14.30
Castle Tour with General Admission
Guided tours of the interior of Birr Castle will run Monday to Saturday throughout May, June, July & August, with tours running at 10:00, 11:30 & 13:00 daily.
On your tour of the castle, your guide will lead you through a number of beautiful rooms while enlightening you on the history, the family, key pieces of furniture, and the collection of treasures within the rooms.
Pre-booking is essential for castle tours, and tours are suitable for age 12 upwards.
Wonderworld Productions Fairy School
Fairy School with WonderWorld Productions is RETURNING to Birr Castle Demesne in 2024!!
*More Information Coming Soon*
Birr Castle Demesne Summer Camp
Our summer camps will take place over two separate weeks in July.
From 10.00-14.30 each day.
Limited spaces per camp.
Unfortunately, this camp is not suitable for children with limited mobility.
Lunch/break times include the schedule.
All children must bring their own packed lunch and notify, at the time of booking, of any allergies or medical conditions that could infringe on the ability to take part in the activities. Please dress for the outdoors and re-apply sun lotion to children in advance of the workshops.
*More Information Coming Soon*
The Vintage Picnic 2024
Come enjoy the Vintage Picnic at Birr Castle Demesne as part of 56th Birr Vintage Week and Arts Festival 2024!
Lay down your picnic blankets and spread out your own vintage-style picnic. Try your hand at a game of Garden Croquet or Skittles. A fun-filled memory-making day out for all. Includes time to explore the 120 acres of parkland and gardens, the Great Telescope, and the Treehouse Adventure Playground.
Prizes on the day for Best Looking Vintage Themed Picnic, Best Dressed Vintage Family and more!
The event will start at 12:30 and finish around 15:00.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
– Pre-booking is essential
– No BBQ/Fires
– Dogs must be kept on a lead
– No bikes/balls/hurls or drones
– Please note there is a walk of around 600 meters from the car park to the picnic site
– Standard booking T&Cs apply
If you don’t want to pack a picnic yourself, you can also pre-book your picnic for collection from our café at courtyardcafebcd@gmail.com, or your favourite café in Birr Town
Free for Friends of Birr Castle Demesne – please see latest Friends Newsletter or ask at reception.
*More Information Coming Soon*
‘Nature Through the Lens’ – Photography Workshop
Join Jeff Harvey, a renowned Irish photographer for a photography workshop in the wonderful setting of Birr Castle Demesne as the warm autumnal colours flood into Birr Castle Demesne!
This interactive workshop will teach you how to make the most of the camera on your phone as Jeff guides you through the Demesne and allow you to learn practical photography skills to capture high quality photos on your smartphone.
Suitable for adults only.
Participants of the workshop will have access to explore the Demesne before and after the workshop as part of their ticket.
All participants need to bring their own phone to use throughout the workshop
Date: Sunday, 15th September
Workshop 1: 12.00
Workshop 2: 14.30
Space Week at Birr Castle – Family Rocket Workshop!
Space is only an hour’s drive away by car – upwards! Yet, we need some very powerful rockets to get there in only minutes to bring satellites and astronauts beyond Earth’s gravity into space. Have you wondered where rockets were first used, or how they work?
Seanie Morris is a renowned STEM Communicator and brings one of his favourite workshops to Birr Castle – Rocket Making AND Launching! Using materials supplied*, Seanie will demonstrate the principles behind rocketry while you make your own rocket. Then, into the meadows we go to launch them from the launch pad and see how high they get. Some have reached as high as 100 metres before!
*Participants will need to bring an empty 2 litre 7Up or Club Orange/Lemon bottle on the day (no lid or wrapping needed). Everything else is supplied, and you get to take your finished rocket home with you!
Date: 5th October
Workshop 1: 11.00
Workshop 2: 13.30
Foraging through Birr Castle Demesne
Join Mary Bulfin as she shows us the diversity of foraging plants that exist at this time of the year and their usefulness in cooking, herbal medicines, teas, folkloric connections, and many other uses of these plants.
Dates: 12 & 13 October
Times: 11.00 & 14.00
Tickets include access to the 2-hour foraging session along with tea/coffee, soup & brown bread and a slice of traybake in the Courtyard Cafe afterwards.
This event is not suitable for children
Birr Castle Demesne Halloween Camp
This Halloween, enjoy the wonders of Birr Castle Demesne on this exciting 4- day camp!
This Halloween Camp is sure to ignite your interest in nature, science and much much more!
Dates: 29th October – 01 November
Times: 10.00 – 14.30
*More Information Coming Soon*
Guided Discovery Tour with General Admission
Castle interiors not included. Pre-booking is highly recommended, click on the link below and choose your preferred Friday or Saturday date and the time and options will appear. Please scroll down to your ticket option of Guided Discovery Tours.
*More Information Coming Soon*
Past Events at Birr Castle Demesne
The Peatlands Immersive Experience
The Peatlands is an immersive film imagined and curated by Charleen Hurtubise, involving various artists with a passion for our peatlands. The purpose of the project is to raise awareness of the importance of our peatlands, and to describe their stunning beauty through photography, video, soundscape and painting.
Admission to the Experience will be FREE, however general admission rates apply to those wishing to visit the gardens and parklands of Birr Castle Demesne.
*Completed for 2024*
Brian Kennedy Walk & Talk
Join Brian Kennedy, renowned local historian on the occasion of the 403rd anniversary of the arrival of Laurence Parsons to Birr in a ‘Walk & Talk’ around the Demesne.
FREE for Friends – sign up at reception or email reception@birrcastle.com
*Spaces are limited so be sure to book your spot as soon as possible to avoid disappointment!
Please note this ‘Walk & Talk’ tour does NOT include access inside the Castle. The tour will take place around the Demesne.