Sean's Bar

Sean's Bar is a pub in Athlone, Ireland. It claims to be the oldest pub in Ireland, dating back to 900 A.D. In 2004 Guinness World Records listed Sean's Bar as the oldest pub in Europe. Sean's Bar is located at 13 Main Street, Athlone, on the west bank of the River Shannon, and was originally known as Luain's Inn. It is often colloquially referred to simply as Sean's.HistoryThe name of the town Athlone derives from the Irish Atha Luain, meaning "the Ford of Luain". Luain was an innkeeper who guided people across the treacherous waters of the ancient ford. 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. 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.Further reading Business Insider IrishCentral Irish Mirror The Irish Times Newstalk Irish Mirror