Editing Swords, Dublin (section)

== Geography ==

=== Landscape ===
[[File:Swords in Dublin K67.jpg|thumb|Swords Main Street lined with [[Platanus × hispanica|London Plane]] trees, August 2022]]
Swords is situated roughly in the centre of the modern county of Fingal and the ancient [[Barony (Ireland)|barony]] of [[Nethercross]]. The [[Ward River (Ireland)|Ward River]], coming from County Meath, runs west to east to near the centre of the town, and then turns to run north, before flowing into the Broad Meadow Water or [[Broadmeadow River]] to the east of the town, across the former northern road. A small stream joins the Ward near the town centre and the holy well. The Broadmeadow, also flowing from Meath, borders the north of the town. It runs from [[Dunshaughlin]] in the west and across the north of Swords, before receiving the Ward and flowing into the wide Broadmeadow Estuary, then into the Irish Sea past Malahide. The estuary is crossed by a railway embankment and bridge from Malahide.<ref name="TenDozenW_BM and Ward Rvrs">{{cite book |last1=Doyle |first1=Joseph W. |title=Ten Dozen Waters: The Rivers and Streams of County Dublin |date=1 December 2013 |publisher=Rath Eanna Research |location=Dublin, Ireland |isbn=978-0-9566363-8-6 |pages=8–10 |edition=8th}}</ref> Swords is surrounded by a protected green belt. Dublin Airport has prevented the town from expanding further south and the large Broadmeadow Estuary and Malahide beyond limit expansion further east. To the north and west of Swords, there is sparsely-populated, relatively flat, farmland.

=== Townlands and baronies ===
The civil parish of Swords mainly lies in the ancient [[Barony (Ireland)|barony]] of [[Nethercross]].<ref group="N" name="Nethercross">{{cite web|url=https://www.logainm.ie/en/62|title=An Chrois Íochtarach/Nethercross|website=Logainm.ie|access-date=29 November 2023|archive-date=10 June 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230610143402/http://www.logainm.ie/en/62|url-status=live}}</ref> Swords Demesne is the name of the [[townland]] in the heart of the urban town of Swords.<ref group="N" name="Swords Demesne">{{cite web|url=http://www.logainm.ie/17054.aspx|title=Diméin Shoird/Swords Demesne|website=Logainm.ie|access-date=11 December 2016|archive-date=29 November 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231129124020/https://www.logainm.ie/ga/17054|url-status=live}}</ref> It is one of 58 such geographic units in the civil parish. However, a single parcel of land, 5 acres in extent, is situated in the barony of [[Coolock (barony)|Coolock]]<ref group="N" name="Glebe">{{cite web|url=http://www.logainm.ie/16962.aspx|title=An Ghléib/Glebe|website=Logainm.ie|access-date=11 December 2016|archive-date=29 November 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231129123934/https://www.logainm.ie/ga/16962|url-status=live}}</ref> as an [[exclave]] of the civil parish proper.

There are 10 townlands in the [[electoral division (Ireland)|electoral division]] of Swords, which is not coterminous with the civil parish.

=== Urban layout ===
[[File:Modern architecture, North Street, Swords.jpg|thumb|A [[Credit union|Credit Union]] on North Street|left]]
[[File:St. Columcille's Court, Swords.jpg|thumb|St. Columcille's Court, Swords]]
The main retail area is located in the centre of the town and includes the town's wide, tree-lined [[Main Street]], and the [[Swords Pavilions|Pavilions]] and Swords Central combined shopping centres. There are also two smaller retail developments, Swords Plaza and Swords Town Mall. Most civic facilities are also in this central area, with some subsidiary shopping and civic centres in surrounding housing areas.

The west of the urban area is mainly residential, with the neighbourhoods of [[Applewood, Swords|Applewood]], [[Rathbeale]] and [[Brackenstown]] to the north of the Ward River and [[Knocksedan]], River Valley, Rathingle, Highfields, and Boroimhe to the south side of the river.

The main business and industrial areas are located to the east of the town centre, along the [[R132 road (Ireland)|R132]] dual carriageway. These include Balheary Industrial Park, Swords Business Campus, Swords Business Park, and the Airside campus (Business Park, Retail Park and Motor Park). These campuses separate the town centre from the residential neighbourhoods further east — Seatown, Lissenhall, Holywell and Drynam (or Drinan) — for which reason the [[Central Statistics Office (Ireland)|Central Statistics Office]] treats the latter areas as forming a separate [[Census town (Ireland)|census town]], which since 1991 it has dubbed [[Kinsealy–Drinan]]<ref name="census1991">{{cite book |title=Census of Ireland 1991 |chapter-url=https://www.cso.ie/en/media/csoie/census/census1991results/volume1/C1991_V1_T11.pdf#page=4 |volume=1 |page=43 |chapter=Table 11: Population of Towns ordered by size |date=June 1993 |publisher=CSO |access-date=10 July 2023 |archive-date=10 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230710162651/https://www.cso.ie/en/media/csoie/census/census1991results/volume1/C1991_V1_T11.pdf#page=4 |url-status=live }}</ref> and had a population of 7,526 at the [[2022 census of Ireland|2022 census]].<ref name=cso2022-kd>{{cite web | url = https://visual.cso.ie/?body=entity/ima/cop/2022&boundary=C04160V04929&guid=6ca2f1a4-ad9b-4507-bc97-01044db6329a | title = Interactive Data Visualisations: Towns: Kinsealy-Drinan | work = Census 2022 | publisher = [[Central Statistics Office (Ireland)|Central Statistics Office]] | access-date = 26 September 2023 | archive-date = 26 September 2023 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20230926114241/https://visual.cso.ie/?body=entity/ima/cop/2022&boundary=C04160V04929&guid=6ca2f1a4-ad9b-4507-bc97-01044db6329a | url-status = live }}</ref> The [[development plan]] for Fingal County Council treats Kinsealy–Drinan as part of Swords.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fingal Development Plan 2023–2029 : Chief Executive's Report on Draft Plan Public Consultation |url=https://www.fingal.ie/sites/default/files/2022-08/CE%20Report%20on%20Draft%20Plan%20Public%20Consultations%20July%202022.pdf |publisher=Fingal County Council |access-date=10 July 2023 |pages=32, 551 |date=28 July 2022 |archive-date=2 July 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230702160847/https://www.fingal.ie/sites/default/files/2022-08/CE%20Report%20on%20Draft%20Plan%20Public%20Consultations%20July%202022.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Climate ===
The climate of Swords is, like the rest of Ireland, classified as a [[maritime climate|maritime temperate climate]] (''Cfb'') according to the [[Köppen climate classification]] system. It is mild and changeable with abundant rainfall and a lack of temperature extremes. The hottest months of the year are June, July and August with temperatures of around 17 – 20 degrees. Swords gets rainfall all year round and the wettest months are October to January.

{{Clear}}
{{Weather box
| location = Swords (Dublin Airport) (1981–2010 averages)
| metric first = Yes
| single line = Yes
| Jan record high C = 16.5
| Feb record high C = 16.2
| Mar record high C = 17.2
| Apr record high C = 20.5
| May record high C = 23.5
| Jun record high C = 25.7
| Jul record high C = 27.6
| Aug record high C = 28.7
| Sep record high C = 24.6
| Oct record high C = 21.0
| Nov record high C = 18.0
| Dec record high C = 16.2
| year record high C = 28.7
| Jan high C = 8.1
| Feb high C = 8.3
| Mar high C = 10.2
| Apr high C = 12.1
| May high C = 14.8
| Jun high C = 17.6
| Jul high C = 19.5
| Aug high C = 19.2
| Sep high C = 17.0
| Oct high C = 13.6
| Nov high C = 10.3
| Dec high C = 8.3
| year high C = 13.3
| Jan mean C = 5.3
| Feb mean C = 5.3
| Mar mean C = 6.8
| Apr mean C = 8.3
| May mean C = 10.9
| Jun mean C = 13.6
| Jul mean C = 15.6
| Aug mean C = 15.3
| Sep mean C = 13.4
| Oct mean C = 10.5
| Nov mean C = 7.4
| Dec mean C = 5.6
| year mean C = 9.8
| Jan low C = 2.4
| Feb low C = 2.3
| Mar low C = 3.4
| Apr low C = 4.6
| May low C = 6.9
| Jun low C = 9.6
| Jul low C = 11.7
| Aug low C = 11.5
| Sep low C = 9.8
| Oct low C = 7.3
| Nov low C = 4.5
| Dec low C = 2.8
| year low C = 6.4
| Jan record low C = -9.5
| Feb record low C = -6.7
| Mar record low C = -7.9
| Apr record low C = -4.0
| May record low C = -1.6
| Jun record low C = 2.1
| Jul record low C = 4.6
| Aug record low C = 2.4
| Sep record low C = 1.2
| Oct record low C = -3.3
| Nov record low C = -8.4
| Dec record low C = -12.2
| year record low C = -12.2
| Jan chill = 
| Feb chill = 
| Mar chill = 
| Apr chill = 
| May chill = 
| Jun chill = 
| Jul chill = 
| Aug chill = 
| Sep chill = 
| Oct chill = 
| Nov chill = 
| Dec chill = 
| year chill = 
| Jan precipitation mm = 
| Feb precipitation mm = 
| Mar precipitation mm = 
| Apr precipitation mm = 
| May precipitation mm = 
| Jun precipitation mm = 
| Jul precipitation mm = 
| Aug precipitation mm = 
| Sep precipitation mm = 
| Oct precipitation mm = 
| Nov precipitation mm = 
| Dec precipitation mm = 
| year precipitation mm = 
| Jan rain mm = 62.6
| Feb rain mm = 48.8
| Mar rain mm = 52.7
| Apr rain mm = 54.1
| May rain mm = 59.5
| Jun rain mm = 66.7
| Jul rain mm = 56.2
| Aug rain mm = 73.3
| Sep rain mm = 59.5
| Oct rain mm = 79.0
| Nov rain mm = 72.9
| Dec rain mm = 72.7
| year rain mm = 758.0
| Jan snow mm = 
| Feb snow mm = 
| Mar snow mm = 
| Apr snow mm = 
| May snow mm = 
| Jun snow mm = 
| Jul snow mm = 
| Aug snow mm = 
| Sep snow mm = 
| Oct snow mm = 
| Nov snow mm = 
| Dec snow mm = 
| year snow mm = 
| Jan humidity = 80.6
| Feb humidity = 75.7
| Mar humidity = 71.0
| Apr humidity = 68.3
| May humidity = 68.0
| Jun humidity = 68.3
| Jul humidity = 69.0
| Aug humidity = 69.3
| Sep humidity = 71.5
| Oct humidity = 75.1
| Nov humidity = 80.3
| Dec humidity = 83.1
| year humidity = 73.3
| Jan precipitation days = 
| Feb precipitation days = 
| Mar precipitation days = 
| Apr precipitation days = 
| May precipitation days = 
| Jun precipitation days = 
| Jul precipitation days = 
| Aug precipitation days = 
| Sep precipitation days = 
| Oct precipitation days = 
| Nov precipitation days = 
| Dec precipitation days = 
| year precipitation days = 
| Jan rain days = 17
| Feb rain days = 15
| Mar rain days = 17
| Apr rain days = 15
| May rain days = 15
| Jun rain days = 14
| Jul rain days = 16
| Aug rain days = 16
| Sep rain days = 15
| Oct rain days = 17
| Nov rain days = 17
| Dec rain days = 17
| year rain days = 191
| Jan snow days = 4.6
| Feb snow days = 4.2
| Mar snow days = 2.8
| Apr snow days = 1.2
| May snow days = 0.2
| Jun snow days = 0.0
| Jul snow days = 0.0
| Aug snow days = 0.0
| Sep snow days = 0.0
| Oct snow days = 0.0
| Nov snow days = 0.8
| Dec snow days = 2.9
| year snow days = 16.6
| Jand sun = 1.9
| Febd sun = 2.7
| Mard sun = 3.5
| Aprd sun = 5.3
| Mayd sun = 6.2
| Jund sun = 5.8
| Juld sun = 5.3
| Augd sun = 5.1
| Sepd sun = 4.3
| Octd sun = 3.3
| Novd sun = 2.4
| Decd sun = 1.7
| yeard sun = 3.9
| Jan percentsun = 
| Feb percentsun = <!-- For February only if the source gives daily hours, please multiply by 28.25, not 28 -->
| Mar percentsun = 
| Apr percentsun = 
| May percentsun = 
| Jun percentsun = 
| Jul percentsun = 
| Aug percentsun = 
| Sep percentsun = 
| Oct percentsun = 
| Nov percentsun = 
| Dec percentsun = 
| year percentsun = 
| source 1 = Met Éireann<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.met.ie/climate-ireland/1981-2010/dublin.html|title=Dublin 1981–2010 averages|website=Met Éireann|access-date=13 July 2012|archive-date=7 January 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190107002648/https://www.met.ie/climate-ireland/1981-2010/dublin.html%0A|url-status=live}}</ref>
| date = July 2012
}}

=== Demographics ===
{{Historical populations|title=Swords|state=collapsed
|1821|1727
|1831|2537
|1841|1788
|1851|1294
|1861|1296
|1871|1008
|1881|1088
|1891|983
|1901|944
|1911|907
|1926|839
|1936|838
|1946|703
|1951|1136
|1956|1629
|1961|1816
|1966|1892
|1971|4133
|1981|11138
|1986|15312
|1991|17705
|1996|22314
|2002|27175
|2006|33998
|2011|36924
|2016|39248
|2022|40776
}}
Swords has developed into the [[List of urban areas in the Republic of Ireland|eighth largest urban area]] in Ireland, with a population of 40,776 at the 2022 census.<ref name="cso2022">{{cite web |title=Census 2022 - F1015 Population |work=Central Statistics Office Census 2022 Reports |publisher=[[Central Statistics Office (Ireland)|Central Statistics Office Ireland]] |date=August 2023 |url=https://data.cso.ie/table/F1015 |access-date=16 September 2023 |archive-date=18 September 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230918224126/https://data.cso.ie/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The town's period of rapid population growth began in the 1970s with the construction of the extensive Rivervalley Estate, then Ireland's largest private housing development, ahead of the Kilnamanagh Estate in Tallaght North. It continued during the 1990s and 2000s, with many new residents moving to the area due to its proximity to work at [[Dublin Airport]] and various industrial estates / business parks.

Fingal County Council has referred to Swords as an "Emerging City", and has suggested that the overall area's population may reach 100,000 by 2035.