Swords

Swords is the county town of Fingal in Ireland. It is about 13 km north of Dublin city centre and is part of its commuter belt. 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; the well is located on Church Road off Main Street opposite the pavilions. Sord may also refer to a "sward", an 'expanse of grass'. In 1994, Swords became a county seat after the breakup of the former County Dublin; in 2001, it became the administrative centre for Fingal, upon the completion of the Fingal County Hall.