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Encyclopedia > Swords, Dublin
Swords
Sord Cholm Cille
Location
WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates:
53°27′35″N 6°13′05″W / 53.4597, -6.2181
Irish Grid Reference
O184469
Statistics
Province: Leinster
County: Fingal
Elevation: 3 m
Population (2006) 33,998 
Swords Main St. c. 1898

Swords (Sord Cholm Cille in Irish) is a medium-sized suburban town to the north of Dublin City, Ireland, close to Dublin Airport. The word swords can refer to: swords (weapon) Swords, a town in Dublin, Ireland. ... Bullet for locations in Ireland, displays location and not area. ... Image File history File links Ireland_map_County_Fingal_Magnified. ... GPS redirects here. ... The Irish national grid reference system is a system of geographic grid references commonly used in Ireland. ... When under Gaelic rule, Ireland was divided into provinces to replace the earlier system of the túatha. ... Statistics Area: 19,774. ... For much of its history, the island of Ireland was divided into 32 counties (Irish language contae or condae, pronounced IPA: ). Two historical counties, County Desmond and County Coleraine, no longer exist, while several county names have changed. ... Statistics Province: Leinster County Town: Swords Code: D (FL proposed) Area: 448. ... Elevation histogram of the surface of the Earth – approximately 71% of the Earths surface is covered with water. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... For other uses, see Dublin (disambiguation). ... Dublin Airport (IATA: DUB, ICAO: EIDW), or Aerfort Bhaile Átha Cliath in Irish, is operated by the Dublin Airport Authority plc. ...


In 1994, Swords became the county town of the then newly-established county of Fingal. In 2001, it became the administrative centre for that county, upon the completion of the €12m Fingal County Hall. Statistics Province: Leinster County Town: Swords Code: D (FL proposed) Area: 448. ...


The town can trace its origins back to 560, having been founded by Saint Colmcille (521-567). Legend has it that the saint blessed a local well, giving the town its name Sord meaning "clear" or "pure". However, An Sord also means "the water source" and could indicate a large communal drinking well that existed in antiquity. Events Ceawlin of Wessex becomes King of Wessex (traditional date). ... Saint Columba or Saint Colm Cille sometimes known as (7 December 521 - 9 June 597), the Latinized version of the Irish name Colmcille (Old Irish Columb Cille) meaning Dove of the church, was the outstanding figure among the Irish missionary monks who reintroduced Christianity to Scotland and the north of...

Contents

Modern Swords

Amenities

Swords has a wide range of shops, banks, pubs and other businesses, including a large modern shopping centre, the Pavilions Centre, off the R132. The recent extension of The Pavilions shopping centre has a multi-screen cinema.


The district is served by a number of schools, three National Schools - Holy Family (Rivervalley Estate), St. Cronan's N.S. and St. Colmcille's N.S., Gaelscoil Bhhrian Boroimhe and Scoil an Duinnigh (in Kinsealy), an Educate Together School (outside the town), and a Church of Ireland "Boro" school (Primary Schools). There are also four Secondary Schools in the town: Loreto College (Rivervalley Estate)an all girls school; Choláiste Choilm, an all-boys school, Fingal Community College and St. Finian's Community College. The Republic of Irelands education system is quite similar to that of most other western countries. ... The Church of Ireland (Irish: ) is an autonomous province of the Anglican Communion, operating seamlessly across the border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. ... A primary school in ÄŒeský Těšín, Poland. ... Secondary school is a term used to describe an institution where the final stage of compulsory schooling, known as secondary education, takes place. ...


There is also a Youthreach facility and Adult Literacy and Education Centre.


Attractions

Swords Castle is undergoing a significant redevelopment and is intended to become a centre of leisure and a tourist attraction. The body of Brian Boru was said to have been brought there after the Battle of Clontarf, though recent evidence would suggest that the destination was Swords Abbey, which lies slightly to the west of the Main Street. Swords Castle was built as the manorial residence of the Archbishops of Dublin around 1200 or a little later. ... A much later engraving of Brian Boru Brian Bóruma mac Cennétig (926 or 941[1] – 23 April 1014) (known as Brian Boru in English) was High King of Ireland from 1002 to 1014. ... Combatants Irish of Munster Irish of Leinster and Dublin Vikings Commanders Brian Boru† Máelmorda mac Murchada, Sigtrygg Strength ca. ...


Transport and Access

The main bus route to the city centre from Swords is the 41, via Santry along the Swords Road. However, the 43 bus route travels to the city centre via Coolock. The Metro route north catering to the Swords/Airport area will run via Ballymun, Dublin City University, Griffith Ave, Lwr Drumcondra Road , the Mater Hospital, O'Connell Street and St Stephens Green.


Growth and Population

The town has seen huge growth in the last 25 years. The majority of residents that arrived to Swords during the 1970's, 80's and 90's to fill the new sprawling housing estates such as Rivervalley, Swords Manor and Castle Lands - now known as Oaklands, Castle Avenue, Castle Grove, Castle Park, Castle Drive and St. Colmcille's Estate - were from north city areas such as Coolock, Ballymun, Santry and Artane. Coolock (An Chúlóg in Irish, The Little Corner) is a large suburban area on Dublin citys Northside in Ireland. ... Ballymun (Irish:Baile Munna), nicknamed The Mun, is an area on Dublins Northside close to Dublin Airport. ... Santry is a bustling mixed class suburb on the Northern side of Dublin. ... Artane (Ard Aidhin in Irish) is a suburb of Dublin, Ireland. ...


The growth of the town is set to continue for the next 20 years, contributed to by the town's proximity to Dublin Airport, the existence of large undeveloped green spaces north and west of the town, and developments in transport catering to the area. Dublin Airport (IATA: DUB, ICAO: EIDW), or Aerfort Bhaile Átha Cliath in Irish, is operated by the Dublin Airport Authority plc. ...


The town's overall population is recorded in volume 1 of the 2006 census as 33,998, which makes it the third largest town in Ireland after Drogheda and Dundalk (however, this population reading does not include the Kinsealy area of Swords or the newly constucted Holywell/Gorse Hill areas - which bring the area's actual population to circa. 42,000).


The town is heavily under the influence of Dublin Airport and is disconnected from the city by a tight "green belt" around the airport. However, Swords would more resemble a north city suburb rather than a rural town, such as Lusk or Rush. Dublin Airport (IATA: DUB, ICAO: EIDW), or Aerfort Bhaile Átha Cliath in Irish, is operated by the Dublin Airport Authority plc. ... WGS-84 (GPS) Coordinates: 53. ...


Social Life

By the late 80's/early 90's, Swords' main street had quite a poor appearance, with few amenities in the area and many derelict old houses and industrial sites along the Main St. / Dublin Road area. The council allowed a bar extension along the Main St. to encourage development in the town and the town now boasts a wide selection of pubs, Late bars and Nightclubs.


Many of the traditional bars that dotted the Main St. were transformed into modern pubs, a couple capable of holding more than 500 people, and now Swords has one of the biggest night life scenes on the north side of Dublin. The town has over a dozen bars such as The Slaughtered Lamb, The Star, The Old Boro, The Harp and Wrights. It also has a range of restaurants such as Trentunos, The Pink Elephant and The Old School House; the latter has won many awards. The Carnegie Court Hotel is the location for Velvet, a new club in Swords. Also in Swords is 'The Pound' on Bridge Street which remains the only pub still operating which is attached to Swords Castle, and is also birthplace of 'The Cheeky Lawless' cocktail which has gained in popularity in North Co. Dublin. This pub is affectionately known as 'The Office' to many of its regulars.


Improvement

For a number of years the centre of the town was allowed to fall into slight disrepair - the town received the title of dirtiest in Ireland for two years running, through the effort of local residents and Fingal County Council under the leadership of Mayor Ronan Diarmuid McCall, Swords has gone from being voted dirtiest town in Ireland (2003, 2004) in an Irish Businesses Against Litter survey to receiving the tag of 'only slightly littered' in the 2006 survey.


Housing Development

Swords is a socio-economically mixed area with the local housing stock being made up of private and local authority housing. Private estates neighbour council estates throughout the town and as such the social exclusion seen in other parts of the north city does not exist in Swords. In 1999 the Seatown Villas area of Swords celebrated 50 years in existence, making it the oldest local authority housing estate in Dublin outside of the city limits. In 2005, Fingal County Council opened 225 council housing units in the Applewood development in Swords. This is the first such public/private housing development to take place in Fingal where private development is inter-mixed with local authority housing. It has been such a success that Fingal C.C. are considering implementing such a development in the Blanchardstown area. Blanchardstown (Baile Bhlainséir in Irish) is a sprawling suburb of Dublin, Ireland. ...


Employers

Swords is the home to international chemical producers and pharmaceutical giants Opec and Bristol Myers Squibb and also to a large retail and business park called Airside Retail and Business Park, on the southern fringe of the town hosting employers such as Fujitsu Siemens, Motorola, Sandisk, the Health Service Executive, and the European Head Quarters of both Ingersoll Rand International and Kellogg’s amongst others. East of the town, running parallel to Swords by-pass, lies the large Seatown Industrial Estate, home to Fyffes, DHL, Hertz, Weight Watchers' Distribution Centre, Adecco Recruitment, Sono Press and other factories and logistic firms.


External links

References


  Results from FactBites:
 
Around Swords History (915 words)
By 1641 Swords Castle was chosen as a rendezvous for the Anglo-Irish families of the Pale.
As it stands at the moment Swords Castle presents a vivid snap-shot of 15th century life, comprising a gatehouse, apartments for knights, a chapel, banqueting hall, the all-important Archbishops apartments and two large towers, one of which was the home of the area's constable and his family.
Swords Castle was lying idle for a number of years before it was bought from the Cobbe family by Dublin County Council in 1985.
Swords, Dublin - NorthCountyDublin.com on ForumForUs (441 words)
Swords (Sord Cholm Cille in Irish) is a suburb of Dublin City in the Republic of Ireland.
In 1994 Swords became the county town of the newly established County Fingal, and in 2001 it became the administrative centre for the county upon the completion of the €12m Fingal County Hall.
Swords (Sord Cholm Cille in Irish) is an outlying town in the hinterland of Dublin City in the Republic of Ireland.
  More results at FactBites »


 

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