New homes in Swords with schools around the corner, from €395,000

Since being founded by St Colmcille in AD560, Swords has expanded to become one of north Dublin’s most popular locations, with a population pushing 50,000, and its growth continues with the arrival of Mooretown, a development of new, concrete-built homes built by Gannon Homes, and pitched as the ideal spot for young families to put down roots in the area.

Mooretown is located just off the Rathbeale Road, just a couple of kilometres from Swords town centre, and the development consists of two-, three- and four-bedroomed A-rated and well-insulated homes, all designed and built to the highest standards, with plenty of internal storage, spacious utility rooms and en suites aplenty. The added ceiling heights enhance the sense of space well used.

Gannon is no stranger to Swords; across the road from Mooretown is Miller’s Glen, a neighbouring development of sustainable homes also built by the developer, with handy retail facilities there too.

One of the big selling points of Mooretown, says selling agent Sherry FitzGerald, is the proximity of Broadmeadow Community National School and Swords Community College, which are just around the corner. Kids will be able to walk safely to school along well-lit footpaths or use the segregated cycle lanes.

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The houses – including terraced, end-terrace, semi-d and a few detached units – have thermal insulation in walls, roofs and floors, double-glazed windows, and are airtight to retain heat efficiency. To minimise heat loss, the houses have no chimneys – but the developers assure parents and kids that Santa Claus is all for helping the environment, and will still be able to come into the houses at Christmas via a secret alternative entrance.

Residents of Mooretown will benefit from lower energy bills, and with most homes having a private driveway, there’s scope to install an EV (electric vehicle) charging point and save even more.

The kitchens are fitted out with a combination of Irish design and German engineering, with wood-grained worktops and cabinets, and a separate utility room. The bathrooms and en suites have wall and floor tiling and heated towel rails. The bedrooms have built-in wardrobes in a contemporary light grey, with Cumbrian oak interiors courtesy of Cawley Furniture, and the house has white-painted shaker-style internal doors throughout.

The entry-level type C house has two bedrooms, with a floor space of 90sq m (969sq ft), and will probably appeal to young professionals looking to gain a foothold in the area, priced from €395,000. But most first-time buyers will be looking at the type B house, which has three bedrooms and extends to about 113sq m (1,216sq ft), with prices starting from €430,000. While the scheme’s four-bed end-of-terrace homes, which are priced from €515,000, are sold out, a new tranche is expected to be released for sale by early summer. Most of the homes at Mooretown are terraced, with a handful of end-terrace semidetached and a couple fully detached. But the high-spec build means there’s minimal sound transfer between houses, so you won’t hear your neighbours’ every movement.

Mooretown is well enough laid out to ensure you’re not looking in at your neighbours either; the back gardens are small but low-maintenance, with a patio area and lawn area, and timber panel and concrete-post fencing all round. Side gates allow access for bikes and bins.

All homes are wired for TV, phone and broadband, and fitted with a wireless intruder alarm. And Gannon is offering an exclusive package for buyers as part of their purchase: a Smartzone home security system, which comes with a touchscreen, four sensors, two motion and two door contacts, so you can leave the house with your peace of mind intact.

Swords has ample amenities and shopping facilities, including the historic Swords Castle, which is open daily with free admission, and the Pavilions shopping centre. Golfers are spoiled for choice, with lots of parkland courses to swing by, including Swords Golf Club, St Margaret’s, Roganstown and Forest Little.

The seaside towns of Malahide and Portmarnock are within easy reach, and you’ve got quick access to the M1 motorway and the Dublin Tunnel. The proposed Metrolink is set to run through Swords and Dublin Airport and into Dublin city centre, but with construction due to begin in 2025 and with the first trains not expected to start running until the early 2030s, that’s still a long way off.