The small room above the arch at Swords Castle, known as the Gatehouse, could be open to the public as part of a second phase of works on the Knights and Squires building. Works to conserve the Knights and Squires building is currently underway and will continue to July. The aim of this phase of…
Some remarkable images of what the Ward River Valley as it will look should the proposed three projects were unveiled at a webinar this week. The three projects – the sports hub in Brackenstown, the Walled Garden restoration, and the historic canal rewetting – are all proposed as part of the first phase of projects…
Safety fencing has been erected around an area of the Ward River Valley known as the Brick Arch. The historical strucuture which is part of an informal trail through the undeveloped area of the park has been deemed structurally unsafe. The council explained this situation as follows: Fingal County Council will erect safety fencing in…
Buried in the woods, in the middle of a golf course, on the outskirts of Swords, is a small slice of Ireland’s World War 2 history – and it will now be preserved. During WW2, the Irish government, concerned at the threat of an invading army, put together a series of stop lines defended by…
Sustainability and biodiversity are the themes of National Heritage Week 2022 which kicks off this Saturday. Over the course of the week there will be 1,300 events going ahead around the country to celebrate our rich natural, built and cultural heritage. Some highlights from this year’s National Heritage Week programme in the Swords Local Electoral…
It’s far from a polished visitor attraction but despite this Swords Castle was found to be third most visitied or recommended attraction amongst Fingal residents. In a finding that clearly points to untapped potential of the historic monument, Swords Castle has been visited by 32% of those surveyed – ahead of Newbridge House and Ardgillan…
It will be over a decade from when the Masterplan for the Swords Cultural Quarter was first voted through by councillors until it is completed, latest details reveal The latest progress update on the Swords Cultural Quarter has put a likely completion time for early 2026. First approved in 2015 it will mean that by…
Swords patriot Frank Lawless may never have known that a British Intelligence Officer scrawled the phrase ‘A Dangerous Man’ across his file – but in doing so he could not have paid the rebel a higher honour. The quartermaster of the Fingal Batallion during the Battle of Ashbourne, Lawless was the linchpin of republican efforts…
The Round Tower and St Columbas Church in Swords have received the maximum grant of €85,000 under the Community Monuments Fund. The money will help fund repair and conservation works to the two structures. St Columba’s Church has had well documented problems with its roof. The main aims of the Community Monuments Fund are the…
Joint disease, spinal problems, and teeth ground down from a poor diet, were some of the chronic ailments in the bodies uncovered by local history enthusiasts in Swords Castle. The findings are documented in a new book by Fingal County Council Heritage Officer Christine Baker entiled ‘Swords Castle: Digging History: Excavations 2015-2017′. Launched this week,…