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Day Tour to Sean's Bar Athlone & St Mel's Cathedral from Dublin
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From €720 per person
There’s a pub in Athlone that’s been pouring pints since 900 AD. Sean’s Bar holds the Guinness World Record as the oldest pub in the world, and visiting it is one of those genuinely Irish experiences that stays with you. This private day tour takes you from Dublin into the heart of the country to sit in that bar, take in the atmosphere, and have a drink in a building that’s been standing for over a thousand years.
The day is deliberately unhurried. Your driver-guide Paul knows the midlands inside out and keeps the schedule flexible so you can take your time at each stop. After Sean’s Bar, you head to Longford to see St Mel’s Cathedral - a striking neoclassical building that was gutted by fire on Christmas Day 2009 and has since been restored to remarkable effect. The craftsmanship of the restoration is worth the visit on its own.
You’ll be back in Dublin by around 6.30pm, having seen a side of Ireland that most visitors miss entirely.
Sean’s Bar is tiny, and that’s part of the point. The walls are low, the bar is worn smooth, and the feel of the place is genuinely old in a way that’s hard to fake. Don’t rush through it. Order something, find a spot, and just let the building do its work. The staff are used to visitors and happy to talk about the history if you ask.
Athlone itself is worth a short walk around while you’re there. The town sits on the River Shannon and has a castle on its banks that’s been there since the 13th century. If you have a few minutes between Sean’s Bar and heading to Longford, a look at the waterfront is well worth it.
St Mel’s Cathedral in Longford is one of those places that surprises people. Longford town doesn’t get much attention from visitors, but the cathedral - a neoclassical building that took a devastating blow on Christmas Day 2009 when it was gutted by fire - was restored over a period of years with extraordinary care. The interior is bright and detailed in a way that makes the story of the restoration even more striking.
The midlands of Ireland tend to get skipped in favour of the coast, which means you’ll be driving through countryside that most visitors never see. The landscape is quieter and flatter than the west, but it has its own character - bogs, low hills, the Shannon cutting through it all. Your driver-guide Paul can give you the context that turns the drive into something more than a transfer.
If you’re a cruise passenger picking up at port, confirm your exact pickup point when booking. Paul knows the route well, but having the details sorted in advance keeps the morning smooth.