A historical society in Donabate & Portrane was first established in 1948 but became inactive in 1955. It was reactivated in 1972 by Mr Peadar Bates of Donabate and continues to this day. The aim of the society is the collection of information on the peninsula as to the customs, stories and incidents of the […]

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The final construction of Swords Castle was the work of many hands and many centuries too. Having a siting near a powerful, navigable river recommended Swords immediately to the conquering Norman’s in 1170 ad. Rivers provide vital water, allow for rapid travel over the waterways of that day and provided these new continental invaders with […]

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By Mike Power One of the most defensively strong parts of Swords Castle, this gate has altered much over time, especially in the later buildings attaching to it. The original castle here would have been surrounded by a moat, the water diverted from the nearby Ward River, with a drawbridge crossing over it. The compressed […]

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Richard John Griffith (1784 - 1878) of Griffith’s Valuation fame, was an eminent scientist, geologist, and public official , whose careful surveying work in Ireland formed the basis for the first Ordanance Survey(1839).Griffith’s precise geological examinations of Ireland also informed the development of the new scientific studies of both Irish soils and of the burgeoning […]

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The various branches of the Taylor and Savage families have certainly left their mark on the retailing history of Swords. At one time, they had both a drapiery and a much-loved (and missed!) hardware shop on Main St. This latter shop began trading in 1984, continuing until it closed its doors in December 2008. At […]

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The name of Taylor (Fr:Taileur=’Cutter’) began with the Norman invasion of 1170.Colonel James Fitzeustace Taylor (1834-1915), the last resident of Swords House had a distinguished British Army military career. In the Egypt campaign of 1882, Colonel Taylor was severely wounded in the thigh, for which bravery he won the Egypt medal. Retiring to Swords house […]

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The east side of Swords castle was the earliest part built; the original castle having had a much smaller footprint than the area enclosed by the extensive pentagon curtain wall we see there today. The venerable east tower shown here would have tottered to ground long ago, but for the modern steel supports buttressing it. […]

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With it’s different names over time, the present-day Arch pub has always played a pivotal role in the social life of Swords. Burnt by the Black and Tans in 1920, it’s granite facade still features some bullet-holes dating from that troubled era of Swords history. The earlier photo shows that another business, a harness-makers shop, […]

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The Ward River has powered many water-mills in its time, the volume and flow of the river having been historically much stronger than we see in it today. Before the age of steam, wind and waterpower were the only sources of energy available. In 1847 there were 3 mills working from the Ward. This particular […]

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The following is an extract from Mike Power’s forthcoming book - Swords: History and Mysteries… A Community Guide Despite being situated solidly within the ‘Pale’(‘Pallium’ latin=A Fence) the spirit of Irish nationalism was never quite extinguished in Swords and Fingal…Swords folk contributed to every insurrection in Ireland, most notably in 1916, when the Fingal brigade […]

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