This unique walking tour will visit two important sites in Birr, which Birr 20|20 Vision and Offaly County Council are currently striving to conserve or restore. The tour will be led by Birr 20|20 Vision, a community organisation established to contribute to the growth and enhancement of Birr Town and its hinterland. The tour begins at the site of 'Old' St Brendan's Church, one of only three extant medieval monuments in the town. This site developed over a long period, from a sixth century monastic foundation to a twelfth to thirteenth century parochial church. Following the 1620 Plantation of Ely O’Carroll the Parsons family became patrons of St. Brendan’s parish church, and their family mausoleum remains attached to the southern wall of the medieval ruins. Birr 20|20 recently received grant support from the Heritage Council to conserve the roof of this important mausoleum. The tour will then move to Birr Courthouse, taking in St Brendan’s early nineteenth century Church or Ireland on route, as it contains original features from the older medieval church. Since 2015 Birr 20|20 Vision has been actively looking for possible future uses of this fine early nineteenth century courthouse, which was only abandoned in 2013. Working with Offaly County Council and others there have been many successes in this project, including the recent award of €80,000 funding from the Heritage Council to take a ‘Creative Court’ project through planning.
This is a walking tour, with no parking available at the meeting location. All attendees are encourage to arrive 'on foot'.

Address
Old St Brendan's Church (beside Spinners Restaurant), Co. Offaly