Ballyadams Castle

heathcliff

Does anyone know the history on this.??? I just past it one day and never heard or seen it before... Ask a few locals and they don't seem to know much...!! Its near the quarry in Ballyadams.
Also has anyone ever heard about a "field of Blood" around the Ballylynan area??
Thanks
H

blackbird98

have a look at these sites for a bit of info about the castle.
http://homepage.eircom.net/~walkingways/lochist.html

http://www.irishmidlandsancestry.com/content/laois/community/parishhistories/ballyadams_parish.htm

I've never heard about a field of blood near ballylynan, unless you've heard the folklore regarding "The Bleeding Horse" near Castlemitchell, on the Stradbally road?

heathcliff

Hi Blackbird, Thanks for the reply, I have never heard of "The Bleeding Horse" but now you may tell me about it??? I looked up the sites that you posted and they were very interesting thanks again.
H

MickShamrock

I'd never heard of Ballyadams Castle until now! Is it possible to go inside the castle and walk around it or is it on private land?

blackbird98

heathcliff wrote: »

I have never heard of "The Bleeding Horse" but now you may tell me about it???
H

I don't know anything about it really, but I do recall being told, many years ago, that during Cromwellian times, a fleeing Irishman on an injured horse stopped at the area which is now the bleeding horse. Story has it that his horse bled to death, and apparently there is now a patch of ground where the grass doesn't grow, or grows a different colour, I can't remember which. Hence, the place has since been called "The Bleeding Horse". Maybe my memory is playing tricks on me, but that is how i remember the story told to me 40+ years ago when i was a child. There used to be a pub at the spot call "The Bleeding Horse" and although it hasn't been a pub for many years, the name is still over the door. The family are farming still there. It is just past Castlemitchell, on the Stradbally side.

MickShamrock wrote: »

I'd never heard of Ballyadams Castle until now! Is it possible to go inside the castle and walk around it or is it on private land?

It is only a ruin and is on private land, I haven't been out there for a few years, but you can get a good photograph there. The family who owns it are farmers just across the road. I don't think i can post his name up here, but he's a nice guy and very approachable. I'm sure if you asked, he allow you to get a closer look.

blackbird98

this is the link to the castle:

http://maps.google.ie/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=52.963452,-7.064209&spn=0.016879,0.038581&z=15&layer=c&cbll=52.963614,-7.064485&panoid=hr2rwLnydk1Rp8Fh_qVvnQ&cbp=12,15.42,,0,5


this is the link to the bleeding horse:

http://maps.google.ie/maps?hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=53.006559,-7.078393&spn=0.008483,0.01929&z=16&layer=c&cbll=53.006497,-7.078307&panoid=YNFG5OwzlpgFVpDEaOd77w&cbp=12,60.29,,0,5

Hope they work, you'll get the location from the maps.

heathcliff

Speaking to a local the other day and when he was younger he used to play in it. However he did say that the farmer who lives across the road has taken parts of it out?? (The Stairs). It is a shame that there is no minding of these buildings but that is the world that we live in. I think that I will ask the farmer if I can have a wonder about, it would be nice to have a few pics of it, as long as the cattle that are in the field now are friendly...!!