Sean's Bar


Sean's Bar is a pub in Athlone, Ireland, notable for its claim of being established around AD 900, which would make it the oldest bar in Ireland and possibly all of Europe.

Claims of age

Archaeological evidence indicates that parts of the building in which Sean's operates is at least a millennium old. During a 1970s renovation, wattle and wicker were found in the walls, and the materials were dated by the National Museum of Ireland. Antique coins, since moved to the museum, were also discovered in the building.
The National Museum is also investigating a claim that the pub has been operating since AD 900. Numerous travel guides have alleged that Guinness World Records certified Sean's Bar as the oldest pub in Europe, but the certificate on display in the bar states only that Sean's Bar is the oldest public house in Ireland and does not support a specific date of establishment. The proprietors have claimed to possess a list of previous owners going back centuries, potentially to Luan, the innkeeper after whom the town is named, but the existence and veracity of this list is unverified.