{{short description|Barony in County Laois, Ireland}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}} {{Use Irish English|date=December 2020}} {{Infobox settlement <!-- See Template:Infobox settlement for additional fields and descriptions --> | name = Ballyadams | native_name = <small>''Baile Adaim'' (Irish)</small> | settlement_type = Barony | image_skyline = | imagesize = | image_alt = | image_caption = | image_map =Baronies of Laois.jpg | map_alt = | map_caption = Barony map of Queen's County, 1900; Ballyadams is orange and in the east. | subdivision_type = Sovereign state | subdivision_name = Ireland | subdivision_type1 = Province | subdivision_name1 = Leinster | subdivision_type2 = County | subdivision_name2 = Laois | area_magnitude = | area_footnotes = | area_total_km2 = 97.45 | area_total_sq_mi = 37.63 | area_land_km2 = | area_land_sq_mi = | area_water_km2 = | area_water_sq_mi = | area_water_percent = | area_note = | elevation_footnotes = | elevation_m = | elevation_ft = }}
'''Ballyadams''' ({{Langx|ga|Baile Adaim}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.logainm.ie/en/128|title=Baile Adaim/Ballyadams|website=Logainm.ie}}</ref>) is a barony in County Laois (formerly called ''Queen's County'' or ''County Leix''), Ireland.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.townlands.ie/laois/ballyadams3/|title=Ballyadams|website=www.townlands.ie}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://catalogue.nli.ie/Search/Results?lookfor=%22+Land+use+surveys+Ireland+Ballyadams+(Barony)%22&type=Subject|title=Search Results - " Land use surveys Ireland Ballyadams...|website=catalogue.nli.ie}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E1PRV6LgMBcC&q=Ballyadams+barony&pg=PA155|title=Abbas Combe to Eyworth|date=7 July 1868|publisher=|via=Google Books}}</ref>
==Etymology== Ballyadams barony is named after Ballyadams Castle, a 15th-century fortified house near Ballylynan.{{fact|date=December 2020}}
==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). It is a limestone region, with some anthracite coal being mined in the past.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=quVGAQAAMAAJ&q=Ballyadams+barony|title=Sessional papers. Inventory control record 1|first=Great Britain Parliament House of|last=Commons|date=7 July 2018|publisher=|via=Google Books}}</ref>
==History== Ancient chiefs in the area include the Uí Caollaidhe (Keely), who were chiefs of Críoch Uí mBuidhe.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.libraryireland.com/names/oc/o-caollaidhe.php|title=Ó Caollaidhe - Irish Names and Surnames|first=Patrick|last=Woulfe|website=www.libraryireland.com}}</ref>
It is referred to in the topographical poem ''Tuilleadh feasa ar Éirinn óigh'' (Giolla na Naomh Ó hUidhrín, d. 1420): <poem>''Críoch Ó mBuidhe an fhóid fhinntigh'' ''ós Bearbha mbuig mbraoinlinntigh;'' ''d’Ó Chaolluidhe as caomh an chríoch,'' ''aoghoire nár fhaomh eissíoth''</poem> ("Crioch O-mbuidhe of the fair sod, Along the Barrow of the bright pools, To O'Caollaidhe the territory is fair, A shepherd prepared to encounter enemies.")<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.libraryireland.com/Pedigrees1/irish-chiefs-clans-ossory-offaley-leix.php|title=Irish Chiefs and Clans in Ossory, Offaley, Leix|website=www.libraryireland.com}}</ref>
The Uí Caollaidhe were expelled during the Laois-Offaly Plantation of the 16th century, and took land at Kylenabehy.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://kealyfamily.com/Kealy_Family/Kealy_Family_History.html|title=Some Notes on the Kealy Family|website=kealyfamily.com}}</ref> 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
==References== {{reflist}}
{{County Laois}} Category:Baronies of County Laois