Ballyadams () is a
barony Barony may refer to:
* Barony, the peerage, office of, or territory held by a baron
* Barony, the title and land held in fealty by a feudal baron
* Barony (county division), a type of administrative or geographical division in parts of the British ...
in
County Laois
County Laois ( ; gle, Contae Laoise) is a county in Ireland. It is part of the Eastern and Midland Region and in the province of Leinster. It was known as Queen's County from 1556 to 1922. The modern county takes its name from Loígis, a medie ...
(formerly called ''Queen's County'' or ''County Leix''),
Republic of Ireland.
Etymology
Ballyadams barony is named after
Ballyadams Castle, a 15th-century
fortified house near
Ballylynan
Ballylinan or Ballylynan () is a small town in County Laois, about from the border with County Kildare in Ireland. The name means "Lynan's town", though exactly who Lynan was is now forgotten.
Transport
A 12-mile railway line linking Ballylina ...
.
Geography
Ballyadams is located in the east of the county, north of the
River Douglas and west of the
River Barrow (where it forms part of the border with
County Kildare
County Kildare ( ga, Contae Chill Dara) is a county in Ireland. It is in the province of Leinster and is part of the Eastern and Midland Region. It is named after the town of Kildare. Kildare County Council is the local authority for the county, ...
). It is a
limestone region, with some
anthracite
Anthracite, also known as hard coal, and black coal, is a hard, compact variety of coal that has a submetallic luster. It has the highest carbon content, the fewest impurities, and the highest energy density of all types of coal and is the hig ...
coal being mined in the past.
History
Ancient chiefs in the area include the Uí Caollaidhe (Keely), who were chiefs of Críoch Uí mBuidhe.
It is referred to in the topographical poem ''
Tuilleadh feasa ar Éirinn óigh'' (
Giolla na Naomh Ó hUidhrín, d. 1420):
''Críoch Ó mBuidhe an fhóid fhinntigh''
''ós Bearbha mbuig mbraoinlinntigh;
''d’Ó Chaolluidhe as caomh an chríoch,''
''aoghoire nár fhaomh eissíoth''
("Crioch O-mbuidhe of the fair sod, Along the
Barrow
Barrow may refer to:
Places
England
* Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria
** Borough of Barrow-in-Furness, local authority encompassing the wider area
** Barrow and Furness (UK Parliament constituency)
* Barrow, Cheshire
* Barrow, Gloucestershire
* Barro ...
of the bright pools, To O'Caollaidhe the territory is fair, A shepherd prepared to encounter enemies.")
The Uí Caollaidhe were expelled during the
Laois-Offaly Plantation of the 16th century, and took land at Kylenabehy.
Ballyadams went to the Bowen family, including Robert Bowen (
High Sheriff of Queen's County 1579) and Lucy Bowen (wife of
William Southwell).
List of settlements
Below is a list of settlements in Ballyadams barony:
*
Ballylinan
*
Barrowhouse, County Laois
Barrowhouse () is a townland in southeast County Laois in Ireland. Barrowhouse is located close to the County Kildare border and the town of Athy. The Barrowhouse area holds the unusual distinction of being the only part of Laois in the Athy R ...
References
{{County Laois
Baronies of County Laois