School: Birr (Mercy Convent)
- Location:
- Birr or Parsonstown, Co. Offaly
- Teacher: Sr. Flannan
Archival Reference
The Schools’ Collection, Volume 0821, Page 160
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- (continued from previous page)At length General Doughlas and General Kirk arrived with a strong body of forces to relieve the Castle. Fortifications and trenches were begun. House were levelled to prevent Irish from taking shelter in them.During their stay in Birr Willams' army burned the country and robbed the people whom they forced out upon their keeping.After the siege the Irish made sallies from their quarters at Banagher and annoyed the town but without doing any considerable damaged. The English army passed through Birr on their way to Limerick in 1691 and converted the castle into a hospital leaving there 400 sick and wounded men who remained in it 2 months.
- The Volunteer MovementIn 1776 there were several Volunteer Corps formed in Offaly (King Co). Sir William Parsons being General.In Birr were "The Parsonstown Loyal Independents". Their uniform was black laced with scarlet, and trimmed with silver lace.On the 3rd September 1781, a meeting of delegates from several volunteer corps was held at Birr. Upon this occasion it was resolved(continues on next page)
