Students Practical Work Experience Programme
 Birr
Castle and Grounds
© Birr Castle Archives |
Introduction
The Demesne extends to over 40ha (100 acres), is open to the public
every day of the year and attracts an average of between 25,000
and 30,000 visitors per annum. It contains formal gardens, terraces,
Robinsonion gardens along the banks of the rivers which flow through
it, the Camcor and the Little Brosna, as well as a particularly
important arboretum. This last comprises trees largely grown from
seed collected in the wild by plant-hunting expeditions sponsored
by the 6th Earl of Rosse. Though some of these expeditions were
to the Southern hemisphere, most of them were to various parts of
China. Thus most of the most important plants in the collection
are of Chinese origin and a number are certainly the finest specimens
known in Ireland. A few examples are indicated in the attached list.
The 7th Earl is maintaining the traditional flow of rare seeds
from the East by subscribing to further plant hunting expeditions
(to Bhutan and China) or actually participating personally in expeditions
(to Nepal and Yunnan). The propagation of the seedlings is an ongoing
business at Birr, with the garden foreman doubling as nearly full-time
propagator.
Apart from this foreman-propagator, the normal garden staff consists
of only four; three general gardeners and a head gardener, who personally
specialises in wreaths and bouquets as well as running the orchard
of apple trees (with a few plum and pear trees). In the kitchen
garden there are special lines of asparagus and artichokes, which
the castle cookbook shows have been grown in Birr for well over
three centuries. |
Previous Students
Over the last five years a total of over 35 students have spent
a period of a month or longer in the demesne to gain practical work
experience usually during the summer. Some have spent several months
and the rest periods ranging from four to eight weeks.
Students have come both from Ireland and from overseas. Many of
the Irish students have come from the Horticultural College, Termonfeckin;
some of the others from the Agricultural University at Wageningen
in the Netherlands or from various universities in Europe, particularly
in France, Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Others have come from
the US and Canada.
Over two thirds of the number have been women, and all seemed
to have enjoyed the cross-cultural experience of working with students
of other lands and backgrounds in a programme aimed at the maintenance
of a piece of our heritage to be shared with all. |
The Programme
The students weekly and daily work programmes are set by the above
Head Gardener and Foreman/Propagator, and the work is carried out
under the supervision of either one of them and occasionally of
Lord Rosse himself. The actual work programme naturally depends
very largely on the time of year, but it is always as varied as
possible to give students the chance of gaining experience in a
full range of gardening activities: weeding, pruning, mulching,
planting, propagating, potting etc. At least some of the students
this year should also have the chance of being involved in the current
programme of identification, measuring, tagging and labeling of
the collection; this should give those taking part the chance to
learn about some of the rarest plants directly from the experts
coming down to Birr to supervise this.
All students are accepted for an initial period of only one month,
after which assignments for a further period are considered in the
light of experience gained during the first month. |
The Accommodation
Accommodation is provided free of charge in a cottage, with one
or two students per room. The accommodation is basic, but all the
essentials are provided like bed, bathroom with water heater, cooker,
refrigerator, crockery and cutlery for cooking and eating etc. Students
from overseas are also provided with bed linen, while students from
Ireland are asked to bring their own.
Power and electricity are provided free, but students are asked
to be conscientious about switching the power off when no longer
actually needed. Students are also expected to observe a few basic
house rules about keeping the accommodation reasonably tidy, removing
the garbage once a week, and undertaking never to lend anyone the
keys or let anyone else stay in the cottage without Lord Rosse's
permission.
The reasons for these house rules are explained to the students
on their arrival and any failure to comply with them is liable to
lead to termination of the assignment of the student(s) concerned.
|
Perks/Renumeration
Students are provided with whatever garden produce may be available
like fruit and vegetables.
The Demesne is just not in a position to pay any actual wages,
as it already costs far more to maintain each year than is derived
in income from admission charges or Friends' subscriptions. However,
some help may be given to those students coming from developing
countries. |
Extra Opportunities for Learning
Access to Birr Castle's important botanic library can be arranged
for any student(s) seriously interested in studying any subject
covered by this.
Lord Rosse is also always happy to arrange for students to visit
any of the other heritage gardens in Ireland open to the public,
with a view to seeing other great gardens to compare with Birr.
|
Certificate
All students successfully completing their programme of practical
work experience in the Birr Castle Demesne are provided with a certificate
to this effect, signed by either Lord Rosse or the Head Gardener,
who are also happy for their names to be given subsequently as a
reference for future employment.
N.B. Although obviously no certificate can guarantee any job anywhere,
quite a number of students have found the certificate from Birr
has helped to land them jobs in other gardens, in one case even
at Aras an Uachtarain. |
Community Employment Scheme
This scheme is currently operating within the Demesne. There are
two aspects to the scheme: it provides training for unemployed people
and extra labour for the sponsor (i.e. The Demesne). The workers
report to their own supervisor who liaises on all projects with
the Head Gardener. |
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