Thursday Doors – Athlone

Athlone, county Westmeath, is the featured town in my Thursday Doors post this week, although, this lovely thatched cottage isn’t in the town itself. I know you can’t see the entrance in the photograph but trust me, there is a door there, hidden by the foliage. I had to shoot this one from the car as we didn’t have time to stop.

We parked close to this lovely flower shop. I really like the name as I haven’t come across that one before. It can be quite challenging to think up catchy, original names for businesses like this. The side of this premises was worth capturing too – even if it is a fake door.

Crossing the bridge over the Shannon, the longest river in Ireland, we headed towards the east and a very ancient part of Athlone.

Unfortunately, we didn’t have time to visit the castle but it’s only about an hour’s drive away, so we will definitely get back to it. I’m saving it for a series of Thursday Doors posts on nearby castles and historic buildings that I’m planning for 2019.

Now that you’ve seen one of the main attractions of Athlone, let me introduce you to another one – Sean’s Bar.

It’s situated in a neat and colourful street, very close to the castle.

Sean’s Bar isn’t just the oldest pub in Ireland but may very well be the oldest pub in the world.

Athlone, marks the site of what was once a great ford across the Shannon known as the Ford of Great Antiquity. At around 900 AD there lived a man called Luain Mac Luighdeach – Luain son of Lewy. It is known that he established an Inn close to “Ath Mor – The Great Ford”. This Inn is today known as Sean’s Bar!..Luain acted as a guide to travellers who had to venture across the rapid torrent of the Shannon. A settlement grew up around the crossing point and in time the place came to be known by his name. ” Athlone – Ath Luain, the Ford of Luain. Later King Turlough O’ Connor built the first wooden castle here in 1129 to protect this settlement. 

Sean’s Bar has been researched thoroughly by the Guinness Book of Records and proudly holds the record for “The Oldest Pub in Ireland” with an official dating of 900AD. Research is ongoing into the title of “The Oldest Pub in the World”; so far, nothing older has been found. *

You can read more about the history of Athlone and Sean’s Bar here.

As always, thanks a million for stopping by and if you’d like to visit some interesting doors from all over the world, you’ll find a link to them on Norm’s blog.

Source *