A History Of Swords-The Big Tree

There was a big elm tree growing in the middle of the road opposite The Big Tree pub, at the base of which unemployed workers basked in the sun. The pub had an all night licence to cater for the Rush Market Gardeners who drove in their little ponies and carts to the Dublin market in the middle of the night. The owner of the pub was a Rush man, Mark Taylor, who left a large enterprising patriotic family in the town. His two maiden sisters looked after the pub during the day and Mark served through the night. The pub is now called The Estuary.The road to Balheary turns left at this pub, beyond this was a long row of one storey slated cottages which belonged to the Baker Estate, whose lands commenced behind these cottages.

This is the end of the town, the road turns sharply to the right on its way northward.
An eminence crowned with a groove of trees was at the bend, called Spittal Hill. A 100 yards farther, the main road bends left and a fork to the right called the "Little Road" leads to the Black Bridge, crossing the confluence of the Ward, and Broadmeadow rivers, to enter Swords Estuary.