cooffaly

There's that condensed script titling again ... Previously (10 years ago!) -

"... Although the 4th Earl built a smaller 3 ft equatorial in 1876, the six-foot telescope remained in use until about 1890. After his death in 1908, the telescope was partly dismantled, and in 1914, one of the mirrors with its mirror box was transferred to the Science Museum in London. The walls remained. The tube, second mirror box, and universal joint survived. ... From - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leviathan_of_Parsonstown Also - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Equatorial_mount

There is another haystack to the left (like aliens!) seen in the wider angle Cabinet photo - catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000338518 Edit - and there are a couple of neighbouring Cabinet plates of the Leviathan, all likely to be the same day as today's photo, and noticeably without Lawrence Parsons, 4th Earl of Rosse - catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000338516 catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000338517

“Lord Rosse's 3-foot telescope, at Birr Castle, Parsonstown, Ireland. This telescope was constructed in 1839 by the Irish astronomer William Parsons (1800-1867), later the 3rd Earl of Rosse. Pioneering research carried out with this telescope includes the 4th Earl's measurements of the temperature of the Moon in 1868. The more famous telescope is the 6-foot Leviathan of Birr, used to observe nebulae (later called galaxies). The 3-foot telescope was originally operated using an altazimuth mount. In the 1870s it was mounted equatorially. The basket at left was used to raise the observer to the top of the telescope and make observations by looking down the telescope's framework barrel at the mirror.” The Science Photo Library www.sciencephoto.com/media/321431/view/lord-rosse-s-3-foo... So if anybody knows which type of mount it was in the photo would date it pre or post 1870

Flickr is sometimes amazing! Via John C McConnell "A early photo of the "first" 3-foot telescope at Birr Castle. Notice the Herschel type mounting on a turntable. ..." -

Still there! Streetview - goo.gl/maps/hCzK2pFTwsHSvCws9

Flickr is sometimes amazing! This tall tale via toneyv - "Customers often ask how did the Cat and Bagpipes get its name? Truth or fable- a travelling musician, stopped for a few pints on a cold winters evening.He played some tunes on his bagpipes ,enjoyed a bit of banter with the friendly people of Tubber and a few pints of the best Guinness in IrelandRelaxed and tired he headed to the Hay shed to bed down for the night, As he was somewhat enebriated after the pints of the Black Stuff he dozed.. not noticing his cigarette butt was not fully extuinguished and the Hay quickly became alight. The cat curled up beside him on the Hay leaped down onto the bagpipes making a squeal that woke the traveller and saved the day and his life!-From that day on the Pub was known as the Cat and Bagpipes and is known locally through the generations as 'The Cat' Sean and Yvonne Tone Present proprieters: Great Picture! Great Pub!Great Place!" At this 2002 photo -

Cat & Fiddle was already taken.

Again, not quite what I meant, but thank you for the effort :-) There was a shop attached to the pub until 2017. The article has some of the history of the pub.

Tubber, Moate, Co. Westmeath, as opposed to The Cat and Bagpipes, which once stood stood on the corner of Downing Street and King's Street, Westminster, London. And also this tall tale www.duchas.ie/en/cbes/5044614/5025905

A local photographer who documented Birr at the turn of the 19th/20th centuries was George Morrison of Cumberland Square, Birr. 21 photos of his are held at the UK National Archives in Kew, including ones with such intriguing and tantalising descriptions as "Photograph of John's Place, Birr. Bread cart opposite Mrs Boner's", "Photograph of John's Place, Birr. Two boys on roadway near Dr Stoneys, No 7 Johns Place, Birr", "Photograph of the coffee bar Leinster depot, Birr barracks" (although the copyright for this one belongs to Edward Morrison). I haven't got a visit to Kew planned, but I'll put them on the list of things to see next time I'm there.

Is this photo scanned backwards? The original handwriting on the glass plate image is reversed, -or so it seems.

CASSIDY PHOTOGRAPHY It looks the right way round judging from the buttons on the tunic of the soldier scratching his chin near the sentry box.

Which was first? catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000317389 - this one, or catalogue.nli.ie/Record/vtls000330910 - another one.

Is it possible the tents were temporary until barracks and administration building were constructed?