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Swords County Dublin |
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History Of Swords Swords which is bordered by the rivers Tolka and Delvin with the River Ward flowing through
it. The Town is 13 Km from Dublin City and with many historical buildings as a riminder of it's bloody past.
Swords which is now the administrative capital of Fingal endured a millennium of misrule from the Anglo Normans, The Vikings and The British. Fingal which coveres North County Dublin became an independent district around the 11th century. The Town of Swords was formed in 560 and is named after 'Sord being the Irish Gaelic for pure
and of which the holy well of St. Culumba stands to this day which was founded. The water from the well is said to have
great healing powers, it remains to this day on consercrated grounds at Well Road Swords.
It was 1994 that Swords became the County Town
after the break up of Dublin County Council. In 2001 with the completion of the County Hall which was built in the former town's park, Swords became the administrative centre for the whole of Fingal, which reaches beyond Blabriggan to the North over close to Ashbourne and from Howth on the East coast to Blancherdstown. The only remaining feature of St. Columba's Church which was also established by it's founder
is the Round Tower which dates back to the sixth century and stands seventy five foot tall. On a good clear day four of the
surrounding counties of Dublin can be seen from the top of the tower. The current Church was built in 19Th century
The old school house at Well Road was the first junior school for the town. If you were around
at the time you would have went here until you were seven, then it was on to the Main Street to The Old Boro which was built
in 1809 as a school for the poor children of Swords and the surrounding area. The Old School House is now a pub and restaurant.
There now follows a history of Swords County Dublin at the turn of the last century. It's more of a social history than a political history of the time. It was written by F.W. Coleman who was a native of Swords, over a ten year period. There is a great amount of detailed description of the people, their religion, their occupation, and where they came from. It's a fabulous insight into how the Town of Swords existed in the late part of the 19th century and early part of the 20th century.
The photograph above of North Street Swords was probably taken during the late 1929s or early
1930s, the E.S.B. poles being the clue. To the right where the pump is is the junction of Seatown Road, known as ''Westons
Corner'' , two buildings beyond it is the court house which still stands, at the end of the street you can just about see
the tree which stood in the middle of the road beside The Big Tree Pub untill the 1940s when it was removed because of
the increse in traffic. The house to the left top was an old bakery which is long since closed, owned by The Dunnes,
and next was Heavey's Shop until the 1980s.
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