A former residence of Dublin’s Bishop

Swords Castle dates back to 1190 AD. This was the residence of John Comyn 1st Anglo-Norman Archbishop of Dublin. It had a huge 305m perimeter wall covering 1.5 acres, a tower, a gateway, apartments, a banqueting hall, and a chapel that was probably used as the archbishop’s private oratory. It was used by Dublin’s archbishops up to the time of the Bruce campaign in Ireland in 1317.  Over the following years, it was inhabited by retired Archbishops, constables, clerics, and Dutch weavers. In 1900 it was used as an orchard by a local shopkeeper, Robert Savage, and more recently as a film location for ‘The Tudors. The castle has recently been beautifully restored and is now an excellent public amenity and a tourist attraction.