Sean's Bar

Sean's Bar, Athlone

Seán's Bar is a pub in the town of Athlone that is Ireland’s oldest pub, dating back to AD 900. In 2004 Guinness World Records listed Seán's Bar as the oldest pub in Europe.[1][2][3] Seán's Bar is located at 13 Main Street, Athlone, on the west bank of the River Shannon in central Ireland, and was originally known as "Luain's Inn". It is often colloquially referred to simply as "Seán's".

History

Musicians at Sean's Bar, Athlone

The name of the town Athlone derives from the Irish Atha Luain, meaning "the Ford of Luain".[4] Luain was an innkeeper who guided people across the treacherous waters of the ancient ford.[5] Later, a settlement was established around the crossing point and King Turlough O' Connor built the first wooden castle here in 1129.

According to Frommer's travel guide, the bar holds records of every owner since its inception, including when Boy George owned it briefly in 1987.[6] During renovations in 1970, the walls of the bar were found to be made of wattle and wicker, dating back to the tenth century. Old coins (which were apparently minted by various landlords for barter with their customers) were also found and dated to this period. The walls and the coins are on display in the National Museum. One section remains on display in the pub.[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ Whitley, David (October 7, 2006). "Ancients in the modern world". News.com.au. Retrieved 5 May 2012.
  2. ↑ "Sean's Bar, Athlone – Oldest Pub in Ireland | Ireland Travel Guide". Irelandlogue.com. 2007-08-04. Archived from the original on 2016-04-04. Retrieved 2013-10-08.
  3. ↑ Fodor's 2012 Ireland. Random House Digital, Inc. December 7, 2011. p. 253.
  4. ↑ P.W. Joyce. "Irish Local Names Explained". Archived from the original on 9 May 2005.
  5. ↑ Gwynn, Stephen Lucius (1914). The Fair Hills of Ireland. Maunsel. p. 250.
  6. ↑ Daugherty, Christi (December 27, 2011). Frommer's Ireland (22 ed.). Frommers. p. 493. ISBN 978-1118027653.
  7. ↑ "History". www.seansbar.ie. Retrieved 2016-11-16.

Further reading

Coordinates: 53°25′22″N 7°56′32″W / 53.4228°N 7.9422°W / 53.4228; -7.9422


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