Swords village (Sord Cholmcille) is west of Malahide. Saint Columba founded the town about 560 A.D. He then left for Iona.

Supposedly, it was founded at a well blessed by Saint Colmcille. St Colmcille’s monastic settlement survives high above the town with a 9th Century Round Tower and 13th Century Mediaeval Square.

The ruins of a round tower can still be seen to this day at the Church of Ireland in Swords. The well is still present in the grounds of Saint Columba’s church. ‘Sord’ means clear and pure in Irish. The water in the Swords well is supposedly so clear that it can cure sore eyes. The well was refurbished in 1991.

Swords castle was built around 1200 as an episcopal manor. It is five-sided, surrounding a courtyard. There is a large gateway with a porter’s room on the left. On the right, there is a priest’s room with 13th century windows, a stairwell to the first floor and a chapel from the 14th century with bits of an original tiled floor. There is also a tower at the north end, where the constable of the castle dwelt.

Queen Elizabeth gave the town municipal rights in 1578 and a weekly court was held. Opposite the castle was once a corn mill, powered by the Ward River for local farmers. There is an old Vicarage from the 17th century where Rev. Espine lived in 1730.

Saint Colmcille’s church and graveyard is well worth a look. The church was built in 1827. It has been altered over the years and a vestry was added in 1879. The graveyard has some legends from Irish history in it, including A.J. Kettle (1833-1916), a famous Irish patriot who was Parnell’s right hand man.

In North Street, you will come across the courthouse, designed by Alexander Tate in 1845 for the purpose of sorting out petty offences in the village. It still stands as a workable courthouse to this day.

The Carnegie library founded by Andrew Carnegie is situated on North Street as well and opened in 1908. Today, it houses a museum and family lawcourts.

On Well Road, there is an old Constabulary Barracks which was used in the 18th and 19th centuries for policemen. In 1834 a site was chosen for a junior school. It was built in Tudor style and although it is now a restaurant, it still has many original features like the ceiling, wooden panelling and a timber floor. Some of the original pupils’ names are still carved on the walls.

Besides the historical features of Swords, it is a busy village with a huge shopping facility called the Pavilion, which boasts a new cinema complex.

There are plenty of pubs from the Lord Mayor to the Slaughtered Lamb and excellent restaurants such as Wright’s and the Old Boro.

Swords itself is located off the M50 and M1 motorways and has many large estates and new apartment complexes. It’s a village on the up and well worth a day out. There is a beach and seafront just down the road at Malahide and Portmarnock.

Above: Swords Castle