Ballyadams Castle Co Laois

The imposing ruins of Ballyadams castle lie near the village of Ballylinan in Co Laois. This is the remains of the 15th century abode of the O'Moore family. The castle remains are very striking and make for a good photo especially from the road. The twin towered entrance is almost completely intact along with some of the keep. The entrance doors hang precariously so care is needed in opening them but once inside you will find a chamber to the right and a stone spiral staircase to the left which you can carefully ascend the left hand tower. The remains of the keep are overgrown with weeds and there are a lot of hidden loose rocks in the long grass so care is needed.the local farmer also uses some of the area for farm equipment so do not enter this area. The castle lies in private property and the gate by the road is signposted "Danger, Keep Out, Sanctuary". On our visit we saw a pheasant or two in the field so perhaps this might explain the 'sanctuary' bit. Permission to enter can be sought at the nearby farm and it is probably not  advisable to trespass. As usual there is a Bull lurking in the pastures. To find the castle take the N78 from Athy heading south until you reach the long main street of Ballylinan village. In the village by the school there is a  crossroads, take a right there and keep to the right hand road as you pass the Graveyard. when you reach the fork in the road at the top, take the left hand road and continue until you see the castle on your right. Turn right and it will lead you directly to the gate where parking for a couple of cars is possible.