Leap Castle

“Ring the owners, lads.”

Leap Castle sits in Roscrea, County Offaly, about six kilometres north of town. The O'Bannons probably built this tower around 1250, serving the more powerful O'Carrolls. Gerald FitzGerald tried to take it in 1513, failed, came back in 1516 and managed to knock bits off. That is persistence, even if the building might disagree. The story goes a priest was killed by his brother in the chapel, giving the place its bloody reputation. Later owner Mildred Darby held séances and wrote Gothic fiction, which you could hardly ask a castle to work harder at. It burned during the Civil War in 1922. Sean and Anne Ryan have been restoring it since 1991. This is privately owned, so arrange any visit with the owners rather than strolling up expecting a public ticket desk. Bring curiosity, good manners, and perhaps a healthy distrust of dramatic noises. The stones have plenty that is real.

Photo: D. Brands, CC BY-SA 3.0

Then Tom went looking for the oddest places around it.

Stop 2 · Hop back in the car, 5 minutes

St. Kierans Bush & Stone

“Nan knows the handprints.”

St. Kierans Bush & Stone has kneeprints and handprints on the rock, allegedly from the saint himself. The bush is covered in rags, which looks like a very messy fashion statement. Bring your nan, she'll know more than me.

What the record says

Hawthorn bush known locally as 'St Kierans Bush' with rags attached for curative purposes located to the S of St Kierans church and graveyard (OF039-003001-). At the base of the bush there is a flagstone known as St Kierans Stone (OF039-005001-) with hollow…

From the National Monuments Service (Archaeological Survey of Ireland) record OF039-005

Photo: Andreas F. Borchert, CC BY-SA 4.0

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Stop 3 · 10 minutes down the road

The Old Distillery

“Brick by 1805, fire by 1889.”

The Old Distillery in Clonoghil Upper was built in 1805 and burned down in 1889, which is a great story for a party. It’s four three-storey ranges around a courtyard that survived the flames with its stonework intact. The yellow brick brightens it up, so it doesn’t look like a haunted ruin anymore. It’s next to the River Camcor, so if you hear splashing, it’s probably just the

What the record says

Detached multiple-bay three-storey former distillery of quadrangular plan surrounding inner courtyard, built in 1805, now partly in domestic use. Situated in its own grounds. Former drying room abutting western range, northern and eastern ranges in ruins.…

From the Buildings of Ireland (National Inventory of Architectural Heritage) record 14819235

Photo: Jonathan Thacker, CC BY-SA 2.0

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Stop 4 · Round the corner

The Great Telescope 'Leviathan'

“Mirror weighs three tons.”

Birr built a telescope so big even my ego looks through the small end. The Leviathan at Birr Castle was not named for modesty. William Parsons finished this enormous telescope in 1845 with a mirror six feet across, and it remained the world's largest until 1917. That mirror weighed almost three tons. Worse for anyone hoping for an easy night's astronomy, its metal surface tarnished quickly, so Parsons made two mirrors and polished one while the other was in use. I would polish one mirror while you used the other, then ask how many years that takes. The great tube sat between high stone walls, with chains and weights to help move its twelve ton bulk. This is science with sleeves rolled up, steam machinery and a tremendous amount of patience. The telescope is within the Birr Castle estate visitor grounds, so check current admission and access before heading in. Stand beneath it and picture someone asking for a slightly bigger view of the sky, then actually building this answer.

What the record says

The Great Telescope 'Leviathan' is recorded as a heritage attraction in County Offaly.

From OpenStreetMap (© OpenStreetMap contributors) w42828652

Photo: Working Men's Educational Union, Public domain

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Stop 5 · Five minutes' walk

Dawn Redwood

“Sheep use it as a stick.”

This Dawn Redwood in County Offaly is a dinosaur that survived an ice age to stand here. The local sheep probably think it’s just a fancy stick for rubbing their backs on. Perfect detour when the satnav has a meltdown and needs a tree fix.

What the record says

Recorded as: Dawn Redwood. Species: Metasequoia glyptostroboides. Recorded age: 50 - 100 years.

From the Tree Council of Ireland, Heritage Trees of Ireland record 355

Photo: Maker named on the Wikimedia Commons picture page, CC BY-SA 3.0

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The whole day on one map

See everything else around Leap Castle →

Over a million places across Ireland and Britain, all free. Explorer Tom has a story for nearly every one.