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    Sean's Bar

    4.8 (82 reviews)
    InexpensivePubs
    Closed 10:30 am - 11:30 AM

    Sean's Bar Photos

    SEAN'S BAR ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Quiet
    Casual
    Touristy
    Good for groups

    Recommended Reviews - Sean's Bar

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    Sean's Bar
    Lu L.

    Sean's Bar is the oldest pub in Ireland. We stopped here on our way from Galway to Donegal. Had a couple cold pints In the quaint little town of Athlone. Very busy spot!!! ( a bit off the beaten path!) They sell t-shirts which many folks seemed to be purchasing. Nice outside patio in back. No food. Has live music.

    9/2025
    Sabrina S.

    Ok this was a must stop on our trek from the Dublin airport to Galway. This spot was literally smack in the middle of our route. Annnnd it is known as the OLDEST Bar in the world. Yes the oldest!!! You'll see official Guinness book of world records material listed on the inside wall. Of course the outside and inside has been revamped, but the bones remain. Parking was not available out front, but if you walk a few blocks away, you'll find a reasonable public parking lot. The bar was large, upon entrance; there's that room, with additional rooms as you continue further towards the back. Plenty of seating, I imagine it gets pretty busy as it gets closer to evening. Clean restrooms were available. Friendly service and reasonable prices. We ordered a Smithwick and hard cider for a little over 9 Euros. Put this spot on your must bar list when in Ireland!

    Inside
    Danielle V.

    They say this is the oldest bar in Ireland! We were on our way to Galway so we stopped into town to try it. They don't serve food just drinks but it's def very cool inside. It has so much history and a cozy inside with a fireplace. The service was super friendly. I loved the cozy vibe and the local feel. Worth a stop if you are in the area!

    Eowyn K.

    5 stars to being the, certified, oldest bar in Ireland! It is also on the list as the oldest in the world, but is not certified. Located in the small city of Athlone, it certainly does not look like it dates back to 900 AD. The exterior is brightly, and reasonably freshly, painted blue and white. Inside the main area has low ceiling and sawdust on the floors. There are relics and information on the bar's history on the walls. It wasn't busy during our visit, it was a bit unassuming for such an old bar. Good drinks, but note they do not service food.

    Mica M.

    Definitely worth a stop here if you're a history buff and want to experience an old pub in the middle of the country. We stopped here on our road trip for a Guinness. Place has a lot of charm and many little nooks to sit in. Large back outdoor area as well. It was surprising how any people stopped to in to see the "Oldest Pub in Ireland." The amount of merch they were selling was wild.

    Amy S.

    You've gotta stop by the oldest pub in Ireland! It's smack dab in the middle in between Galway and Dublin. It's got a nice public parking lot nearby. It's huge on the inside. We were able to find seating easily and order a Guinness. Can't go wrong with Guinness in Ireland. Service was friendly. Lots and lots of tourists.

    One of the bars inside the pub
    Jim J.

    For an Irish pub that was established in 900 A.D. it had lots of character. It was pretty big. However, the old part was very old and decorated as one would expect in an old Irish pub what can I say? The Guinness beer was delicious the service was good, oh by the way you have to go to the bar to get your beer. All of the folks and patrons were fantastic and friendly. It was a very warm Homie atmosphere. if we ever go back to Ireland, we will definitely stop in.

    Seans Bar

    Oldest bar in Ireland. Establishes 900 AD Nice aroma of peat Fire. Excellent Guinness and Irish Coffee.

    Sean's Bar, Athlone
    Bruce K.

    Drinks and drinks, so on a Sunday at noon this was a very brief stop as I still have a long drive back to Dublin. Sean's Bar dates back to 900 AD and they have the receipts to provide it. Ancient walls and quite rustic decor with a wide selection of Irish whiskeys and pints of Guinness, it is definitely cozy. The pub is located in the heart of Athlone and there might be some street parking nearby if you're lucky. Note that they do not serve food other than crisps. [Review 1967 of 2024 - 148 in Republic of Ireland - 22989 overall]

    Kris S.

    good craic! enjoyed our visit. had a few beverages and bought some sweatshirts. would definitely go back if the opportunity arises.

    Sean's bar walls, how they built it
    Kevin O.

    Sean's bar is a treasure to find. So much history and Tim gave me and my family a full history of the owners and how it became Sean's bar. Keep an eye out for Sean's whiskey coming to the USA in 2025. It will start in Texas 1st. Quick story, Tim had a binder that had all the history in it and took him 18 years to write, only to have his dogs eat it one night. Now he is rewriting it for a history channel & Netflix series soon to come.

    Kay K.

    I am still completely dumbfounded that I was in Ireland's oldest bar dating back to 900 AD. It's certainly the standout in the small town of Athlone. Hardly anything was open in the area when we stopped by on a weekday mid morning so don't expect food options - but drinks and warm hospitality will be available at Sean's. I think it's worth checking out and if it's not too busy, you might even get one of the bartenders to tell you the story/legacy of Sean's Bar.

    Rooty T.

    Sean's bar was somewhat busy, but there were several bartenders and our drinks were served quickly. The Store front is small and misleading, there are five or more sections in addition to a patio. Lots of memorabilia on the walls and many old license plates from USA states. It was an interesting visit, but difficult to find artifacts on how the bar was traced back to 900 AD. We didn't notice a food menu and one wasn't offered. The only food items were small packaged peanuts.

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    3 years ago

    Great music and drinks Fantastic place to enjoy a traditional Irish pub and Irish experience at the oldest pub in the world!

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    Sean's Bar Reviews in Other Languages

    Review Highlights - Sean's Bar

    Drinks and drinks, so on a Sunday at noon this was a very brief stop as I still have a long drive back to Dublin.

    Mentioned in 9 reviews

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    Hatters Lane Bistro - Vegan fajitas!

    Hatters Lane Bistro

    4.7(7 reviews)
    0.2 km

    While I was staying in Athlone and wandered off the main street, I found Hatter's Bistro and was…read moreinstantly intrigued by the mysterious vibe of this place... It's a 2-floor establishment, with a restaurant in the basement and a pub on the main floor; with more paraphernalia and interesting knick-knacks to spend the rest of your stay examining... Now to the important part: the food! In a word, it's great! It can be tricky for me to find a decent vegetarian/vegan bite to eat in Ireland; luckily, Brendan, whose family owns the place (which, as the name hints at, used to be a hat factory), has knowledge of vegan food and could assure me that everything would be in order. As for my experience as a whole; I definitely enjoyed the atmosphere, and will visit again when I'm in Athlone! Definitely suitable for going on a date as well; the dimmed reddish lighting down the back creates an intimate atmosphere - and of course, everything is better when it has a story...

    We were in Athlone for one night, Hatters Lane had great yelp reviews and a a cousin, an Athlone…read morenative, also recommended it. After drinks on the deck at Radisson Blu (also recommended) we had dinner at Hatters. All 3 of us were pleased with our selections, the bacon wrapped chicken was very good as were the other two mains (one had hake the other beef). Wines by the glass were reasonably priced and decent quality. Service was very good.

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    Hatters Lane Bistro
    Hatters Lane Bistro
    Hatters Lane Bistro

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    Sean's Bar - pubs - Updated June 2026

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