By Mike Power
This famous Swords building opened its controversial doors on the 18th February 1809, a couple called Joseph and Anne Carmichael being the first principals. The name chosen ‘Old Borough’ recalls the ancient autonomous status of Swords as a ‘free, self-governing’ town (Borough).) Francis Johnson (1760-1829) was the architect.
The money to build this school came from the financial bonanza accruing to Swords at the Act of Union (1801) in compensation for the loss of its two MP’s (£1,500). The school was specifically set up both to educate the poor of the village, and to prepare them to become productive members of the ascendancy-controlled Swords of that day. As well as the 3 Rs, students were also (frugally) fed, learned practical skills - needlework (girls) and apprenticeships (boys). The school also provided coal and free medical care to regular attendees, a great incentive to attend for the’ poorer classes. There was also intense competition within the school for both academic and good conduct prizes, usually being money.
The ethos of this school was overwhelmingly Protestant, Irish never having being taught and the strict Protestant bible used for religious instruction. As time went on, however, more and more Catholic families began withdrawing their children (1830s -1853) from the school in protest at the school’s Protestant character. This situation was only finally resolved in 1855 when a new Catholic school (Seatown Rd.) was opened. It took until 1887 for the allotted funds to be equitably shared between both religious communities in Swords. An emblematic tale of Sword’s past...?
Email Mike l:mp9211198@gmail.com.
We’re excited to announce that ‘Cilles Cubs’ along with all GAA teams, autumn schedule returns at St Colmcille’s, Balheary, Swords (K67H996)
Nursery is open to boys and girls aged 4 -6 of all skill levels – whether you’re brand new to Gaelic games or already a budding star, there’s fun, fitness, and skill-building for everyone.
Let’s get the kids active, having fun, and enjoying our great games. Spread the word and we’ll see you on the pitch!
Contact Cora, for more information 0833741305.
Along with our Nursery, we also offer GAA too all age groups- if you are looking to get involved, joining up is easily done! Just contact the relevant person.
Adult Men’s Football: Call Patsy 0857362992
Gaelic for Mothers and Others : Call Deirdre 0879309962
Juvenile Football: (All Ages): Call Marian 0876819540
or email secretary.stcolmcilles.dublin@gaa.ie
Gaelic Football is a great way for you to get involved with the community, team building, learning new skills, all the while keeping fit and healthy. Come along, get involved and get behind your local club
Local girl Manassanan Chanhiran known to her many friends as Manny has entered the Mrs. Ireland 2026 pageant as Mrs Swords. The competition’s chosen charity this year is Temple Street Children’s Hospital. All donations are very welcome and much needed and can be made using Revolut. When doing so please mention the name of our Swords contestant Manassanan (Mrs Swords).
Writing to her supporters on her gofundme page Manny wrote, “I’m a proud mother of two. This year I’m so honoured to be participating in Ireland Pageants as Mrs. Ireland 2026 finalist official Mrs. Swords proudly representing Swords Dublin Ireland.
he competition will be held on Saturday 3rd of October 2026 at Canal court hotel Newry and it’s not so long to go. It would mean so much to me to have your support and guidance as I continue my pageant journey. Your help with the preparation costs would be incredibly valuable to me, and I would be truly grateful for your kindness and support. Lastly, I look forward to embracing this Pageants journey with confidence, kindness, creativity and purpose to proudly representing as Mrs. Swords!”
To donate to Manny’s bid to become Mrs. Ireland she has set up a gofundme page to help with the costs, locals can visit https://www.gofundme.com/f/to-preparation-for-ireland-pageants-competition-2026?attribution_id=sl%3A1fc99fc2-a23c-457f-9136-f948d37d8a2c&ts=1787302086347&utm_campaign=natman_sharesheet_dash&utm_medium=customer&utm_source=copy_link
To keep up to date with Manny view her Instagram account by visiting https://www.instagram.com/manassananchanhiran_official?igsh=aHpucHhhMDhiNWc0
When Catherine Bacik made a chance encounter with Swords Castle several years ago little did she know it would lead to something completely unexpected, it became her first published children’s book.
The Castle by the Stop Light: The Shepherd Boy and His Flute focuses on Michael who steps inside an ancient castle and discovers a remarkable tale that brings together two lives separated by time. Through Sean, a young shepherd boy from long ago, and the castle itself, the storyteller that binds their worlds, Michael learns that the most ordinary places can become extraordinary when viewed through the eyes of imagination.
“I first saw the castle while standing at a bus stop on a cold, rainy night in Swords,” said Catherine who is a children’s author and photographer from Virginia in the United States. “Across the road was an illuminated stone wall sitting right beside an ordinary modern stop light. As an American who certainly wasn’t accustomed to finding castles beside traffic lights, I was completely captivated. I returned to Ireland the following year and made Swords Castle one of my first stops. I spent time photographing and exploring it, wondering about all the stories those old stone walls might hold”, she explained further.
Written for children ages 4–10 and the families who read with them, it invites readers to look beyond the ordinary and discover the stories waiting all around them.
“Since publishing the book, one of my goals has been to bring the story back to the community where it began. I thought the journey from a rainy Swords bus stop to a published children’s book might be a story of interest to your readers. In November 2025, I also had the wonderful opportunity to share my story with Kieran Carrick in a featured segment on Mornings with Kieran on Spirit Radio Ireland,” Catherine added. Whether writing stories, capturing photographs, or speaking about the creative process, Catherine hopes to remind others that there are remarkable stories waiting to be found all around us—if we simply take the time to look.
The Castle by the Stop Light: The Shepherd Boy and His Flute, is currently available on Amazon.com.
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 immediate access to the open sea at the Malahide estuary. Sea travel, in a territory still covered by thick forest, was the most efficient means of travel the Swords Castle was built not so much for defence or sieges either, but for control of the local area and native population.
Nevertheless, as this 1790 print confirms with fishermen depicted near the Constable’s Tower(1400s). The castle once boasted a surrounding moat, fed directly from the river Ward. Tight lines to all our fishermen!
We are delighted to announce that Craobh Cholm Cille, Conradh na Gaeilge has been re-established in Swords, North County Dublin.
The same branch was in the town as far back as 1902 (check out the article from Drogheda Independent, 19 April 1902).
There is a language revival underway at the moment and we want to cater for that interest and represent those that are interested in promoting our national language. The success of the gaelscoileanna movement in recent years means there are many Irish speakers looking to preserve their language skills and help pass the gift to the next generations.
We intend to provide speaking opportunities, organise Irish lessons, run Irish language juvenile sports camps, inspire social occasions trí ghaeilge and to make An Ghaeilge available to the people of Swords.
Ta lúcháir orainn a fhógairt go bhfuil Craobh Cholm Cille, Conradh na Gaeilge athbhunaithe againn i Sord Cholm Cille, Tuaisceart Chontae Átha Cliath.
Bhí an Chraobh chéanna sa bhaile chomh fada siar le 1902, ar a laghad (féach ar an sliocht ón Drogheda Independent, 19 Aibreán 1902).
Tá athbheochan teanga ar siúl faoi láthair agus ba mhaith linn freastal ar an spéis sin agus ionadaíocht a dhéanamh orthu siúd a bhfuil suim acu ár dteanga náisiúnta a chur chun cinn. Mar gheall ar an rath a bhí ar ghluaiseacht na ngaelscoileanna le blianta beaga anuas, tá go leor Gaeilgeoirí ag iarraidh a gcuid scileanna teanga a chaomhnú agus an bronntanas a thabhairt do na glúnta atá le teacht.
Tá sé mar chuspóir againn tuilleadh deiseanna cainte a chur ar fáil, ranganna Gaeilge a eagrú, campaí spóirt trí ghaeilge a reáchtáil, imeachtaí sóisialta a spreagadh agus an ghaeilge a chur i lár an aonaigh do phobal an bhaile.
If you would like more information please contact:
craobhcholmcille@cnag.ie / Liam @ 086 3814422
Would you like to build your confidence in public speaking? Have you grown tired of letting fear hold you back? This September, take the first step towards overcoming this fear by visiting Swords Toastmasters for an obligation-free meeting. Discover a supportive and encouraging environment where you can develop your communication and leadership skills while gaining the confidence to speak with ease.”
That’s exactly what member Amanda O’Hara did last year when she wanted to meet the challenge head on.
Amanda said “Joining Toastmasters has been one of the most rewarding things I have done in a long time. When I first attended, I was fearful and I wasn’t sure if I was going to stick with it. The fact that it was a massive fear was the clear sign I needed that I had to face it. I’m only there a year but I have taken on many roles, completed a couple of speeches and I feel it has helped my confidence greatly. Toastmasters gives you the freedom to be who you are, and express yourself freely as your authentic self. You will receive nothing but encouragement and support from everyone in the club. I’m really enjoying being a part of it.”
Swords Toastmasters is a club that helps people develop their public speaking, listening, and leadership skills, in a fun and supportive environment. Members join for a variety of reasons. Some, to progress their careers, to perform better at interviews, to practice for workplace presentations,or even for tat all important wedding speech.
If you would like to see Amanda and her fellow Toastmasters in action, get in touch today, for an obligation-free visit. Perhaps you will be inspired to take the first step towards finding your own voice and changing your life!
Swords Toastmasters
Date: Every 2nd Monday, September - June
Location: Forrest Little Golf Club, Forrest Road, Swords, Co. Dublin, K67 K825
Time: 8p.m. – 10p.m.
For more information, email swordstm@gmail.com or contact the membership officer on 086 8538048.
Sisterhood, an Irish creative wellbeing community that creates spaces for women to connect, slow down and get creative are to host a Scrapbook Social in Swords on August 9th.
Scrapbook Social is a relaxed, welcoming evening where women can enjoy creative activities, meet new people and take some time for themselves. No artistic experience is needed, and many people come on their own.
The “Magic of Beauty and Creativity | Bewitch” event, organised by Bewitch Your Beauty and Kortell House of Beauty in Swords, was a tremendous success and attracted a large number of visitors from Swords and across Dublin.
The event brought together talented local women, artisans, and small businesses showcasing handmade jewellery, artwork, candles, gifts, home-baked goods, beauty products, and many other unique creations. The quality, creativity, and craftsmanship on display were truly exceptional, and visitors were delighted by both the variety of products and the warm, welcoming atmosphere throughout the day.
Guests enjoyed meeting local makers, discovering new businesses, receiving beauty consultations, and taking advantage of exclusive offers available during the event.
One of the highlights of the day was our raffle, featuring a wide range of valuable prizes generously donated by local sponsors, as well as beauty treatments and gift vouchers from Bewitch Your Beauty and Kortell House of Beauty. The raffle created great excitement and added to the festive atmosphere of the event.
The feedback from visitors was overwhelmingly positive. Many people commented on how much they enjoyed supporting local businesses, discovering unique handmade products, and spending time at such a friendly and inspiring community event.
At Bewitch Your Beauty and Kortell House of Beauty, we are proud to be more than just beauty salons. Alongside providing professional beauty and wellness services, we are passionate about supporting our local community, promoting women-led businesses, and creating opportunities for talented local artisans to showcase their work. Events like this help bring people together, encourage collaboration, and celebrate creativity within our community.
The success of the event has inspired us to continue organising similar community-focused events in the future.
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 space within the gate, was designed as a murder zone, arrows and heavy objects being rained down on the heads of any closely grouped attackers.
The earlier photo (c 1880s), shows an earnest group of Victorian antiquarians (mostly clergymen), posing beside two poor-looking Irish women. Note the thatched roof of their home and their rough and ready appearance, most Swords buildings of that period having been similar the photographer, by contrasting these two very different classes of Irish folk, sends an implicit message of : ‘English Ascendancy good’ - ‘Irish backward and bad’. These unhelpful attitudes to the native Irish characterised those held by many of the upper classes within Swords for generations.
