Midlands Man Recognised For His Contributions To His Community

The photographer's images chronicle life in Birr.

Local photographer, Paul Barber has been presented with the inaugural Honorary Lifetime Friends Membership of Birr Castle Demesne, by Lord and Lady Rosse, in recognition of and with sincere appreciation for his support and ongoing contributions to the Demesne, the town and the wider community of Birr over the years.

At a recent outdoor ceremony in the Demesne the Lord Rosse thanked Mr Barber for “Being a long-standing friend of the Demesne, and for continually and enthusiastically volunteering his time, energy and expertise.” 

Grainne O’Malley, Birr Castle Demesne Manager said “It has been a long time wish of Paul to plant a tree in the Demesne. He had the Honor of planting one of our Cherry trees as part of a collaboration project co-funded by Birr Castle Demesne and our Friends.  In 2022 we will plant 30 Cherry Blossom trees adding further wonder to the demesne in early Spring.” 

Many will be familiar with Paul’s wonderful images of chronicling life in Birr some of which illustrate the wonderful treasure that Birr Castle Demesne is, something that was acknowledged recently by Birr being voted 2022 fourth favourite visitor attraction in Ireland by readers of the Irish Independent. 

Lord Rosse, Lady Rosse, Paul Barber, Daniel Nagle and Shane Hollywood

This accolade comes on top of all of the other Awards won by Birr Castle Demesne in recent years including being named in 2021 by the Lonely Planet list as one of the top eight hidden treasures in Ireland for visitors. This came on top of Birr being named, also by Lonely Planet as one of top ten most child- friendly castle estates in the world in 2019.  

On your doorstep, Birr Castle Demesne is one of Ireland’s most intriguing destinations and a must-see for anyone with a passion for photography, botany, wildlife, nature, education, science, engineering, astronomy, and heritage. Beautifully framed within a 120-acre demesne, this 17th-century castle is home for the past 400 years to the Parsons Family, who are celebrated for their remarkable scientific and engineering feats, including the world-famous Great Telescope (1845). A self-guided adventure of endless discoveries includes 10 kilometres of scenic walks, rivers, waterfall, a lake, one of Europe’s finest plant collections, Science Galleries with the world’s oldest intact dark room, the world’s tallest box hedge, forest bathing, trails and Ireland’s tallest treehouse!