Did you know that the Irish like to drink?
I know, shocker! And we always liked to drink.
The title of the oldest pub in Ireland belongs to Sean’s Bar, located in the heart of the country, on the main street of Athlone in County Westmeath. While there are a lot of pubs trying to claim the title, Sean’s Bar holds the official record of ‘The Oldest Pub in Ireland’ following extensive research from the Guinness Book of World Records. Additionally, there are ongoing efforts to check if Sean’s Bar is the oldest pub in the world, and so far, no older pub has been found.
During the bar’s renovations in 1970, the walls were found to consist of Wattle and Daub – hazel sticks interwoven with horse hair and clay, which, according to the National History Museum, dates back to 900 AD. This, together with a detailed and documented history of the inn, supports Sean’s Bar’s incredible tale going back as far as the 9th century, which you can check out in more detail here.
It is around 900 AD, a man named Luain Mac Luighdeach established an Inn for the people he acted guide to, helping them cross the treacherous waters of the Shannon. As a settlement started to grow around the Inn and the river, it became known as ‘Áth Luain’, meaning the Ford of Luain. The town eventually became Athlone, while the Inn is now known as Sean’s Bar.
Today, it is a well-beloved pub, by both locals and tourists. With the floor covered in sawdust and walls decorated with the memorabilia of the past, telling its story, it is a perfect blend of the old and the new. It offers a tour and a historical talk, traditional live Irish music, as well as relaxing outdoor and indoor beer garden to enjoy your Guinness or Irish Coffee in.
Or. Or! Even better… your whiskey.
And what a great whiskey they have on offer, because now, they make their own! In partnership with West Cork Distillers, they have crafted two of their very own blends.
Sean’s Bar Specially Blended Irish Whiskey – ‘Luain Edition’ is a unique blend matured in bourbon casks. It offers a light flavour to warm your spirits right up! It is the blend I’ve tried and immediately fell in love with. I bought a bottle on the spot to take home with me, however, you can also place an order online from their website. This whiskey edition is dedicated to Luain, the first innkeeper of the bar.
The second blend, first released in 2018, is Sean’s Bar Single Malt – ‘Clonmacnoise’. The distillation process was brought to Ireland from the East by the Irish monks. They used the Irish term ‘Uisce Beatha’, paralleling the Latin ‘Aqua Vitae’, to refer to distilled spirits as Water of Life. The distillation of alcohol began in Irish Monasteries, with the main ones located on Lough Ree and down the river to Clonmacnoise. From the Annals of Clonmacnoise is where the earliest recorded mention of whiskey comes from, dating back to 1405 AD. It is said the word ‘whiskey’ was coined when people had problems pronouncing the Irish name. This blend is a tribute to those monks in appreciation of their work on the distillation process. And appreciative we are!
Now, with the history bit over, make sure to add Sean’s Bar to your itinerary and celebrate its rich and fascinating story with how it should be celebrated, a drink!
Sláinte!
The Roaming Wolf 
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