Toward the end of our 3-week journey all Over Ireland, we heard about the oldest bar/pub in Ireland. Around since 900 CE this pub predates the modern era of my own country by nearly 1,000 years. So we decided the drive from Belfast was worth it. And it was. A fun pub full of history, travelers, and perfect pints. Do yourself a favor and make Sean's Bar a stop on your Ireland travels. read more

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It's very touristy and tacky, but that's what you expect when you visit the place claiming to be the oldest pub in Ireland. There's no debate some component of it can be tracked back a millennia, but whether that's really the 900's or not, who knows. If you want to fight the crowds for the oldest pub in Ireland picture, it may be worth it, but the Guinness record plastered everywhere, and the busloads of folks stopping in for the same beer you did, may not be worth it. I went, I can say I had a beer there, no reason to go back. Athlone on the other hand, such a fun city if you can find a place to park and experience all the shops and things to do. read more

Fun, casual, unpretentious, and unassuming...a solid pub with good craic, pouring a proper pint. Bartenders know their business with fast service in spite of the crowds. read more

Sean's Bar - Pubs Near Me - Athlone, WH

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It holds title of Ireland Oldest Pub in Guinness records, so it's definitely a must-see place even you are not drinking. The history makes the beer taste better. I wish I could stop there longer to have a cup of authentic Irish whiskey. read more

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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. read more

Sean's Bar - Sean's Bar - Pubs Near Me - Athlone, WH

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! read more

Sean's Bar - 9/2025 - Pubs Near Me - Athlone, WH

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Definitely worth a stop just to experience the "oldest" pub in Ireland. True or not, it is a must go in Athlone even though it is full of tourists. Very friendly bartender and she pulled an absolute creamer of a Guinness. Try to sit at the bar for the full Sean's experience although there are tables in small adjacent rooms and a large back room. read more

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! read more

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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. read more

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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. read more

Sean's Bar - Pubs Near Me - Athlone, WH

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. read more

Sean's Bar - Pubs Near Me - Athlone, WH

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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. read more

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Always crowded but great trad music often. The back bar is more spacious and the patio is great. A must go at list for one sneaky pint when in Athlone read more

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] read more

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This place was really cool to check out after seeing it on all the videos about Ireland and the nearby area. They had a great beer selection on tap, even with some surprising options like Lagunitas, which I wasn't expecting to see much outside of the US. The place was crowded when we went, so maybe ask your concierge or b&b host for tips on when to go when it's not as slammed. The decor is nice and ancient feeling with the sawdust and the wood burning stove, but if you have asthma just a heads up that the smell can be a little overwhelming in the small space, and I would have prepped myself with an inhaler or trying to get a seat near the door. It's definitely worth a stop by and or a look in, and if you can't find a seat there's plenty of places around that are worth a drop in also. read more

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

Sean's Bar - Seans Bar - Pubs Near Me - Athlone, WH

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Busy and bustling. Difficult to find seating because it's so busy but that's the way it goes. Lots of choices for drinks. Fast and friendly service. read more

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

Sean's Bar - Pubs Near Me - Athlone, WH

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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. read more

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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. read more

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Perfect stop for halfway between Dublin and Galway. Friendly people. Great beer. Make sure you walk back and see the entire place. It's more than just the front room. read more

Very fun! It's so crowded that you may feel like a number in an endless queue, but no. They make every person feel special and they served every beer with care. A must visit! read more

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. read more

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The oldest bar in the world! Went in the afternoon on a Tuesday and it was the move because the bartender said it can get pretty packed with tourists and locals. Had a bulmers and chilled and it was great! Seating is limited but its cozy. Great decor and great bartenders. Def a bucketlist item to check off if you can. read more

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Really neat historic bar right near the castle. We only had beer but it was cold and served very fast. All the servers were friendly. Bought a couple shirts here. Prices were good. read more

Sean's Bar - Pubs Near Me - Athlone, WH

Friendly bartenders, great music, and obviously great drink! Cheers. Original bar in the front and lots of additions in the back. Ready to celebrate St Patrick's Day every day! read more

Sean's Bar - Guinness - Pubs Near Me - Athlone, WH

This is the world famous Sean's Bar for a reason and not just that it is the oldest continuously run pub in Ireland! The atmosphere and service is top notch. The music was wonderful. All in all a great place to spend the afternoon enjoying one's self! read more

This is one of the oldest pub that serve since 900 AD. What can you say? With a great selection of taps and a live Irish music totally bring you back in time. read more

Sean's Bar - 1/2 pint of Guinness - Pubs Near Me - Athlone, WH

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When in Ireland you've got to visit the oldest bar! So glad we made the stop! A great place to have a drink! read more

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Our trip to Ireland was our Christmas gift to our three adult kids. They could have picked anywhere they wanted to go but the younger two looked at their older brother and knew, we were coming to Ireland. So when a month before our trip he asked if we could come to Sean's Bar, the answer was yes but WHY! Well, they are the oldest Pub in Ireland and of course, we had to come. The place is huge. There is a traditional looking Pub as you walk in, then past the restrooms there is a covered type patio that has seating at two levels. This was great when the temperature of all those people in the front part of the Pub got really hot. Beyond this level was another room with a pool table and more seating and FINALLY an open uncovered area which is the smoking section. Here there is a back opening that goes up to the dock and the boats of visiting guests. The people here are so friendly. Don't know what it is about this place but we got invited to Dublin to see some locals that drove out for a night and then got invited to Argentina. We met people from California that live less than 20 minutes from our house in California. The bar tenders are great and we got to put up a dollar with our names and date. This was an epic evening in our vacation of Ireland and if you get the chance while driving between Galway and Dublin, make sure you make the stop. read more

So friendly and so great! We had a pint of Guinness first thing on St Patricks day and enjoyed the fire and the history. A must visit. read more

Sean's Bar - The best way to start your day!! - Pubs Near Me - Athlone, WH

Sean's Bar was one of our last stops on our trip to Ireland. Great little place in a cute town. Exactly what you would expect from the Oldest Bar in the World: dark, low ceilings, and sawdust on the floor. There was a cute outdoor patio and a separate sitting room as you're heading out the back. The bartenders were super friendly and their whiskey guy told us all about how they started making whiskey and are planning on distributing in the states soon. I tried one of their signature whiskeys and found it very smooth and easy to drink. If you're heading between Dublin and Galway it's on your way so make sure you stop and pay them a visit. read more

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Authentic, Traditional and delicious beer. Would definitely return on our next visit to Ireland!! read more

Sean's Bar - Great beers had by ALL !!! - Pubs Near Me - Athlone, WH

Super fun pub! They know it's the oldest pub in Ireland and possibly in the world! Beware - the building is old and dark, but it's super cool. You get that nostalgic old Irish vibe when you go inside. Order the house special Sean's Whiskey - it is so good! Enjoy some live Irish pub music! We went in around 4:30, got a spot to sit, listening to some live pub music, and talked with locals. There's no food, just drinks. Ask to see their T-shirt's if you want to take one home. Pro: real Irish music, good beer and house whiskey Con: tourist spot so it can get busy read more

Sean's Bar - Pubs Near Me - Athlone, WH

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Can we transport this spot back to the states? While the pub scene in all of Ireland beats anything the US has to offer, Sean's Bar is the epitome of it all! Charm, decor, friendliness, and of course, a great selection of drink! From the welcoming real wood fireplace that greets you as you open the door, to the barkeep's warm welcome, you just feel like you're visiting your best buddies' home! Great spot, and while yes, it's a tourist spot, it doesn't feel like it. Go grab a pint. Or two, even! read more

Oldest bar checked off the list! Would have love to stay and sit a spell but my group was already running a little late. The bartenders with so nice and their Irish Whiskey (take away) was spot on delicious on the cool day we were there. They did have the Guinness certificate and a display of the artifacts that support being the oldest bar. Nonetheless it was a cool cozy local place that we would have love to sit a spell. Guess I have to make another trip to beautiful Ireland! read more

Such a rich history and such wonderful barkeepers! Timmy gave our small group the official history of Sean's with good humor and hospitality. I've visited the Buffalo Trace Distillery in Kentucky and learned about the history of whiskey in the US, but Timmy was able to provide the full history of the birthplace of Irish whiskey in Ireland during the sixth century. We highly recommend that your visit to Ireland includes a visit to Sean's bar for good times and good fellowship. read more

Sean's Bar - Pubs Near Me - Athlone, WH

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Sean's Bar is a must visit if you are in or passing through Athlone. I mean who doesn't want to visit the oldest pub in the world?! It does get crowded when you first enter but just grab a drink and head out to the outdoor patio for a more spacious hangout spot. read more

Sean's Bar - Pubs Near Me - Athlone, WH

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Best place ever in Athlone. Apparently, this is the oldest bar in Ireland. I BELIEVE IT. The crew here is fantastic! read more

Sean's Bar - The tap - 9 PLUS 3 Guinness on tap. - Pubs Near Me - Athlone, WH

Great atmosphere and service in the oldest bar in the world! Some old bars have given up on service; trading only on their history. Not Sean's Bar! This cozy little pub has a dark and warm interior to join friends for a drink by the fire, as well as a larger outdoor courtyard area - to enjoy tasty food and drink. Ample historic documentation adorns the walls, as well as a section of the original mud & wattle wall - to awe fans of the archeology channel! Basic Sean's Bar T's and hoodies are available for simpler tastes. A good basic drink selection (from Guinnes to Jameson) is available to all! There is even a domestic US beer on tap (Coors Light) for the less adventurous. Children are welcome before 7pm, so the whole family can come right after church (we saw plenty of evidence of this on Sunday). This place is legit; we enjoyed the atmosphere, and didn't wanna leave!! read more

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