The Pound & The Attic

Just what Dublin needed - another pub with a clever name and supposedly historic credentials. The Pound & The Attic in Dublin's Swords area initially struck me as yet another attempt to cash in on Ireland's apparently inexhaustible appetite for drinking establishments. Sitting in the shadow of Swords Castle (yes, there's actually a castle, though I suspect most patrons are too focused on their pints to notice), this dual-personality venue somehow manages to be both predictably Irish and surprisingly distinctive.

Let's address the elephant in the room - it's essentially two pubs in one, which feels like a desperate attempt to appeal to everyone. The Pound offers that traditional Irish pub experience we've all seen a thousand times before, while The Attic caters to a younger crowd who apparently haven't yet developed an appreciation for creaky bar stools and decades-old horse racing photos. And yet... damn it all if this setup doesn't actually work.

I arrived determined to maintain my professional cynicism, but The Pound & The Attic in Dublin has an irritating way of wearing down your defenses. The Guinness - and I say this through gritted teeth - is exemplary. Creamy, perfectly settled, and served at that precise temperature that makes you forget you're paying middle-of-the-road pub prices for what is essentially fermented barley and water. The pour is that theatrical 119.5 seconds that pub purists obsess over, and I hate that I actually counted.

The space itself refuses to conform to easy criticism. The Pound section embraces its traditional roots without descending into theme-park Irishness. Dark wood, time-worn surfaces, and snugs that actually feel private rather than claustrophobic. Upstairs, The Attic manages to be modern without that trying-too-hard vibe that plagues so many contemporary Dublin bars. It's like they accidentally achieved authenticity while attempting to create two distinct atmospheres.

The staff, annoyingly, are genuine characters rather than the surly bartenders I was hoping to critique. They manage that delicate balance of being attentive without hovering, knowledgeable without pretension, and - most irritatingly - actually funny without forcing it. During quiz nights (yes, they do those, and yes, they're actually entertaining), the host somehow makes you forget you're participating in what should be a tired pub cliché.

What truly galls me is the atmosphere they've cultivated. The Pound & The Attic has achieved that holy grail of Irish pub culture - a place where locals and tourists coexist without either group feeling like they're in a zoo exhibit. The older crowd downstairs and younger revelers upstairs somehow create a symbiotic relationship that shouldn't work but does, like a multigenerational family gathering where everyone actually gets along.

For sports enthusiasts (I reluctantly count myself among them), the multiple screens are positioned with thought rather than scattered like confetti. You can actually watch a match without developing neck strain, and the sound levels are managed so conversation remains possible - a concept apparently foreign to many Dublin sports pubs.

The parking situation across the road at the castle car park is almost suspiciously convenient, though you'll pay for the privilege. The outdoor seating area, while not extensive, provides a front-row view of Swords Castle - a detail that shouldn't matter but somehow enhances the experience, especially during those rare moments when Dublin weather permits outdoor drinking.

They accept all major forms of payment (a shocking concession to the 21st century for an Irish pub), and the prices sit squarely in the "well, it is Dublin" category - not cheap enough to make you suspicious, not expensive enough to trigger outrage.

Look, I didn't want to like The Pound & The Attic. Dublin has enough pubs to float a small navy, and my professional integrity demands a certain level of skepticism. But if you're in Swords and looking for a drink (or several), you'll find yourself here eventually. And despite my best efforts to maintain journalistic distance, I have to admit - you'll probably be glad you did. Just don't tell them I sent you. I have a reputation to maintain.