EU Commissioner visits Swords Castle

The EU Commissioner for Cohesion and Reform, Elisa Ferreira, visited Swords Castle this week to view first hand the conversion project that was supported under the European Regional Development Fund through the Southern and Eastern Regional Operational Programme 2014-2020.

Commissioner Ferreira was greeted on arrival by the Mayor of Fingal, Cllr Howard Mahony, and was given a guided tour of the Castle by County Architect Fionnuala May and members of her team. Fingal County Council architects assembled and led two teams of specialist conservation engineers and heritage contractors to complete this complex project.

“It was a terrific opportunity to highlight the importance of ERDF funding to support sustainable urban development projects led by local authorities and the Commissioner was very impressed with the work that has been done at Swords Castle,” said the Mayor.

Swords Castle, which is a National Monument and is on the Fingal County Council Record of Protected Structures, is a place of national cultural significance and has been in local authority ownership since 1985.

Before the current phases of works commenced in 2015, Swords Castle was largely closed to the public. Since the first public opening in 2015 it is now accessible seven days a week for visitors, and has become a venue for concerts, civil weddings, archaeological digs and seasonal festivals, as well providing a quiet, historic focus in the heart of Swords.

The most recent phase of conservation and enabling works started modestly in 2015 with extensive vegetation removal on the East Tower and adjoining East Wall. More substantial works followed in two major phases of conservation works contracts in 2016-17 and 2018-19.

These works included a 140m Wall Walk upgrade, with new access stairs and the rebuilding of the entrance Gatehouse vault as well as re-pointing works, using a hybrid NHL and hot lime mix. There was also re-pointing and roof repairs on the Chapel and new no-dig gravel paths were installed along with an interpretive/reception pavilion which had been salvaged from existing storage and works containers.

The demolition of a long terrace of empty street-front premises revealed a wider view of the Castle facing Main Street and North Street which included the Castle Chapel.

“It was great to point out to the Commissioner that the conservation work on Swords Castle has been the catalyst for the Swords Cultural Quarter project which will see the construction of a new Civic and Cultural Centre across the road from the Castle and a reimaging of the public realm around the Castle,” said Ms May.

Today, Swords Castle consist of a large, four-sided partly battlemented curtain wall, approximately four metres high, enclosing an area of 5,730m2, which contains a number of mural buildings and structures, including the entrance Gatehouse, the restored Chapel and Constables Tower and the semi-ruined East Tower and adjoining East Wall mural building remains.

The works won the Engineers Ireland Conservation and Heritage Award in 2019. And in 2021 the Swords Castle Conservation Project (2015-21) won the Local Authority Members Association’s Best Heritage Project Award.

Commissioner Ferreira said she enjoyed her short visit to Swords Castle and added: “It’s really important to see how, in practice, the funds from the European Union are used. Now we have a very beautiful historical place that brings pride to people and that in fact improves the quality of life of all the citizens around. This is an example, together with the many other examples that we can find all over

Europe and all over Ireland, of a good use of the taxpayers’ money.”