The East Side
From Malahide Road, going north on right, was
Weldons, a large
house on the corner. Nag Weldon owned a lot of cottage property,
some of them only two roomed, let
at 1/- or 2/- a week. Two
storey houses were along this side. A very picturesque two storey thatched house with upstairs
windows cut in the thatch was Howards butcher shop, who were also farmers. Next was a thatched house, one storey, NcDermotts,
green grocer and general dealer in coal, etc. Then McEvoys, who had a sweet shop, and owners of the adjoining three cottages.
Two storey houses again, Clerys, Shaws (shoemakers); one storey houses, Webb, Tinsmith; two storey houses, O'Tooles, Registrar,
a lodging house, and next door Weldons, a Public House.
Historic House
Next was a detached thatched farmhouse, 1>s.ffs, with farmyard.
This is the most historic house
in the village, as a meeting
place of the new Sinn Fein and Gaelic 1& vement, which started
about the turn of the
century. The Duffs were Fenians, Sinn Feiners and Gaels. John Daff emigrated to America and went to the Boer War with Major
iiacBride's Irish Brigade. Tonmy and Mary Duff were active supporters of the Gaelic League and later Sinn Fein. Tommy fought
with the Fingal Brigade in 1916 and Mary was in Cumann na mBan, and the Gaelic League. The Sinn
Feiners always in
there around the, big open hearth. It was
called the War Office. The house was burned down by the Black and Tans.
Next
to Buffs was a house called "The Old Walls". The high hard gable back from the road was used as a ball alley, and many rood
games of handball were played there by the local boys
The old walls were always covered in wall flowers in full bloom in the spring. The seeds blown from
the back gardens taking root in the crumbling walls. I never heard the history of the place, wheather it was burned or fell
into decay, but it must have been a substantial house when new. Next came a terrace of two storied houses, still intact but
one demolished. McDonnells grocer and pub, later Kellys, sweet and confectionery, and Lawless, a butcher shop.
Frank Lawless was a Fenian, Sinn Feiner and Gael, also a fanner and later T.D. for North Dublin. Next
Krowd, a drapery shop. Next was the R.I.C. Barracks, which was captured by the Fingal flying column in 1916, and all arms
and ammunition taken
Next was Taylors, public house. This was formerly Foleys. The Taylors came to Swords about 1898. The
father was 'rom Rush, Co. Dublin, and the mother was a Dowling from North Strand, !}ablin. They had twelve children; three
sons were out in 1916 and active in all the Sinn Fein movement. The house was burned down by the Black and Tans. Next, at
the corner of Chapel Lane, Tom Fagans, harness maker, a great meeting place for men and boys, particularly for the older generation
who favoured the United Irish League. There was also a regular card school here, and lively_ discussions between the Redmondites
and the Sinn Feiners, in the early days of Sinn Fein.
