Swords Summer Festival

mickmmc

Swords Summer Festival was on at the week-end.

I visited Swords Castle for the first time and I really enjoyed it. Swords Castle is such an historic building, which was built by Archbishop Comyn in 1200.

The restored Archbishop's chapel is beautiful but, in particular, the floor tiles near the stained class window. Also, I was impressed with the WW1 exhibition in the Chapel.

Well done to Fingal Co. Council for organising a great event.

Hopefully, the Swords Summer Festival will be an annual event.

Tilly

What was the main street like? Was there music and stuff? Were there many at it?

mickmmc

I walked through Main St. at 2pm. There was a carnival atmosphere with music and 98FM broadcasting from the street. Also, there was bench style tables on Main St. with food being served by various businesses on Main St.

There was a lot of activities for children on the Main St. with a large numbers in attendance.

There was music from various bands up to 11.30pm. I wasn't in Main St. later and I can't verify numbers later on.

It was great to see Swords Main Street a hive of activity after many years of decline.

Swords Main Street is fighting back.

The Muppet

Cant say I was too pleased to see a bar set up on main street Saturday afternoon and people drinking openly in the street,

I though that Fingal had bylaws to prohibit drinking alcohol in public. I also thought we were trying to move away from that, bad example for the many children present.

I enjoy a pint myself but there's a time and a place.

mickmmc

Fair Point. I noticed that myself and it didn't seem right.

I failed to mention that negative aspect of the festival above.

Dublinhurler

I have to agree I was there on the Saturday and found the festival absolutely brilliant, I ended up going back on the Sunday. There was loads to do on the Main Street for kids. There was even a small play area for very young kids which I was very impressed with because you don't normally see anything for young kids. I was surprised to see the bar with alcohol being served and would have preferred if it only opened in the evening.

The castle looks amazing. It is such a beautiful castle and I would love to see more events being held in it.

All the things that were on in the castle and on the Main Street were free and I think fingal co co need to be given huge appreciation for putting on such a wonderful event and no charge at all. I definitely hope this becomes a yearly event.

Well done to everyone involved

T-Maxx

OMG drinking beer out in the open, what'll they come up with next?!! Please someone think of the children!!

The Muppet

As I said time and place any Main street on a Saturday afternoon is neither the time or place.

Finally Co Co have bylaws in place about drinking in public so how come it's allowed at one of their events . It makes a mockery of their bylaws.

The Hill Billy

It is not a mockery of any by-laws. It can be applied for as part of an event licence.

The Muppet

The Hill Billy wrote: »

It is not a mockery of any by-laws. It can be applied for as part of an event licence.

IMO it makes a mockery of the bylaw and is totally inappropriate to settup up a bar on a main street on a Saturday afternoon right outside a public house for that matter. Either it's right to allow people drink in a public place or it isn't. If it isn't how come it suddenly ok if the council say so.

Personally I was disappointed to see it included in what was otherwise a good family event .

cathy01

I loved it.the petting farm was cool.the history the people.
If I honest yeah I was a bit hmmmmed (that's a made up word)
Seeing people having their pints but no one was falling around drunk and if you wanted to have a pint and sit outside in the sun in this one day then yeah
Go for it .
My kids had a ball.im fecking raging I didn't know it was on on the Sunday.

The Muppet

cathy01 wrote: »

I loved it.the petting farm was cool.the history the people.
If I honest yeah I was a bit hmmmmed (that's a made up word)
Seeing people having their pints but no one was falling around drunk and if you wanted to have a pint and sit outside in the sun in this one day then yeah
Go for it .
My kids had a ball.im fecking raging I didn't know it was on on the Sunday.

There were cetainly some people who were drunk at 5.30 when I was there. The empire has a beer garden could that not have been used for people to drink outdoors if they wanted instead of setting up on main street?

This country has a huge probem with alcohol abuse it's time some common sense was used to tackle the issue.

expectationlost

so the green area inside the councils has been closed to the public for 30? years http://www.dublinpeople.ie/article.php?id=5149 after they bought it from Cobbes family of NewBridge House http://www.fingaldublin.ie/interior-pages/activities-attractions-amp-conference/castles-churches-and-towers/swords-castle/

http://www.northcountyleader.ie/2015/07/07/swords-castle-now-open-to-the-public/


look like a great event?
https://twitter.com/Fingalcoco/status/623128626716876800 is the third pic here the start of a run?

Singer

expectationlost wrote: »

https://twitter.com/Fingalcoco/status/623128626716876800 is the third pic here the start of a run?

Yep, the Fingal 10k was on that Sunday. It's part of the Dublin City Marathon Race Series, 4 races over the summer leading up to the marathon. It's the only one that's run outside of the Phoenix Park.

Swords Castle was used as the pre/post race area, which was great!

Stheno

Singer wrote: »

Yep, the Fingal 10k was on that Sunday. It's part of the Dublin City Marathon Race Series, 4 races over the summer leading up to the marathon. It's the only one that's run outside of the Phoenix Park.

Swords Castle was used as the pre/post race area, which was great!

Did it go up Rathbeale Road and was the Road closed as far as Cian Lea?

The Muppet

It went up the watery lane and finished on Bridge street. Bridge Street was closed