A member of the Wakeham family informs me that it was in possession of her ancestors several centuries ago, and that the Lord Barrymore of that day gave the owners, John and William Wakeham, the estates of Springhill and Water-rock instead of it, which their descendants still possess. AUTHORITIES CONSULTED. Gibson’s “History of Cork.” Carew MSS. Patent and Close Rolls, Chancery, Ireland. State Papers. “Local Names” and “Notes and Queries” in _Journal of Cork Archæological Society_. _BIRR CASTLE_ “Lords to whom great men submit, Are the O’Carrolls of the plain of Birr.” O’HEERIN. This fortress was one of the numerous strongholds of the O’Carrolls of Ely O’Carroll. The derivation of the name, formerly Biorra, is doubtful. _Bir_ signifies “water,” _birra_ = “abounding in wells,” or “fountains of water,” _bir_ = “a spit,” _bior_ = “the brink of a river,” and the name may have originated from any of these words. The town is situated on the right bank of the Little Brosna River at its juncture with the Birr rivulet. It is in the barony of Ballybrit, King’s County, sixty-two and a half miles west-south-west of Dublin. The O’Carroll’s stronghold, called the “Black Castle,” stood some sixty yards north-west of the present building on the high bank of the river. The principal tower was raised on an artificial mound, and in 1627 Sir Laurence Parsons added a watch tower, which stood on thirteen corbels, projecting on the outside, and was higher than all the other buildings. The dungeon of the stronghold was situated in the Black Castle, but this older fortress has long since been demolished. In 1620-21 Sir Laurence Parsons made a great many additions to the castle. He erected a tower 46 feet long and 25 feet broad, at each end of which an arch of hewn stone gave entrance to the fortress. The present hall, which is reached by a flight of stone steps under a vaulted vestibule, is the centre part of this tower, as it is also that of the present mansion. In the following two years Sir Laurence also built a porter’s lodge, known as the “Garden House,” fitted up a drawing-room and made a garden and orchard. In 1624 he built a new line of offices, which formed one side of the courtyard, and in which was a kitchen, &c. Another side of the enclosure was occupied by the stables, which extended along the river, south of the Black Castle. [Illustration: BIRR CASTLE.] On the north was a double wall filled up with earth, and having a gateway in the centre. Sir William Parsons threw all these buildings down in 1778. The castle was enlarged and remodelled under the direction of Mr. J. Johnstone, architect, who altered the entrance to the back of the building, away from the town. Sir Laurence Parsons had also added a “French Flanker” in 1627, but on what site is not known.