For decades we have been collecting our ancestor's stories by tracking
their footsteps since they first arrived in Canada and America in the
early 1800s.
In 2019, our brother Pat Moynahan sponsored our very first trip to Ireland so that we could search for our ancestor's stories there. We have many stories to share about our Kerry Moynahan ancestors and we are publishing them under the title "The Kerry Chronicles"
 |
| Visiting the Brazen Head Pub in Dublin, 2019 |
The other stories about our travels are being posted in the series "The Ireland Chronicles" and here is the first one about Ireland's oldest pub.
Ireland's Oldest Pub
We arrived in Ireland not knowing about the controversy over which pub was the oldest in Ireland
The title of ‘The oldest pub in Ireland’ is much coveted and has been fought over in recent years between two different establishments.Of course we had to visit both of them!"The history of Ireland spans back centuries, Ireland or The Emerald Isle as we know it was first settled in 4000 BC, right around the time of the first Stone Age.
After the first settlers arrived and began farming the fertile land, the culture evolved over many centuries to form the country we know today. Many buildings in Ireland date back to ancient times, and have a rich history.
None older than some of the local pubs known as an ‘Inn’ or a ‘Tavern’ in days of old. These buildings were commonplace and some have survived many centuries and are still standing today.
But what is the real question we wanted to know is: what is the oldest pub in Ireland?" Source: Over In Ireland
The Brazen Head, Dublin
The Brazen Head pub was our very first port of call because it is located a short walk from Christchurch Cathedral
The Brazen Head has said for many years that it’s the ‘oldest pub in Ireland’ and still displays a statement claiming as such on its website. The building has a history dating back to 1198 and used to be coaching in for travelers to stop and rest on their journey.
 |
| My brother (who sponsored our travels) enjoying the Brazen Head Pub |
 |
| The entrance way to the Brazen Head pub |
"Regardless of The Brazen Head’s claims, and according to the good people at the Guinness Book of Records, Sean’s Bar in Athlone, County Roscommon is not only the oldest bar in Ireland, but the oldest pub in Europe dating back to 990 AD
As if this were not enough, there have also been attempts to determine if Sean’s Bar is the oldest in the world, but this is unconfirmed as yet. The Brazen Head dates back to 1198 – some three hundred younger than Sean’s Bar."
Brazen Head:
Seán's Bar, Athlone, Ireland
In 2004 Guinness World Records listed Seán's Bar as the oldest pub in Europe. Seán's Bar is located at 13 Main Street, Athlone, on the west bank of the River Shannon in central Ireland, and was originally known as "Luain's Inn". It is often colloquially referred to simply as "Seán's".
 |
| The three of us leaving the pub May 2019 |
When we arrived at Sean's Pub, the weather turned suddenly and we told them we were bringing snow from Canada!
Established in 990 AD, Seán's Bar :
"predates the defeat and decline of the Vikings in Ireland. The Anglo-Norman conquest of Ireland. And the creation of whiskey and black beer themselves, with which the Emerald Isle’s pubs have become synonymous. Combined with the carbon-dated material – including bits of mud, wood and wattle – and the presence of ‘tavern tokens’ found on the site (now on display in the National Museum of Ireland), the sense in Ireland is that Sean’s Bar is very much worthy of the legend." (Source: BBC)
Excavations beneath the current pub have revealed wattle and daub walls, bits of crockery (mugs and the like) and self-minted coins the bar would use for trade with clients dating back to 900 A.D. Most of the artifacts are on display in the National Museum of Ireland, but a section of the walls is on display in the pub inside a glass case. Research is ongoing for the title of oldest pub in the world. So far, nothing older has been found.
If you are ever in Athlone, at Sean's Bar, look for the $5 Canadian bill above the bar with "Moynahan" written on it! Most of the money was in American currency so the blue $5 bill should be easy to spot!
Seán's Bar:
- https://www.seansbar.ie/home
- https://web.archive.org/web/20160404181153/http://www.irelandlogue.com/best-of/seans-bar-athlone-oldest-pub-in-ireland.html
- https://overinireland.com/what-is-the-oldest-pub-in-ireland/
- Sean’s Bar – 990, Athlone
- The Brazen Head – 1198, Dublin
- Kytelers Inn – 1263, Kilkenny
- Grace Neills – 1611, Donaghadee
- Morahans – 1641, Roscommon
- Gateway Bar – 1698, Cork City
- McHughs Bar – 1711, Belfast
- Johnny Fox’s Pub – 1798, Dublin
- Leeds’ The Bingley Arms (953)
- Abergavenny’s The Skirrid Mountain Inn (1110)
- Nottingham’s Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem (circa 1189)
CRAIC
“Craic” (/kræk/ KRAK) or “crack” is a term for news, gossip, fun, entertainment, and enjoyable conversation, particularly prominent in Ireland. It is often used with the definite article – the craic – as in the expression
“What’s the craic?” (meaning “How are you?” or “What’s happening?”).
The word has an unusual history; the English crack was borrowed into Irish as Craic in the mid-20th century and the Irish spelling was then re-borrowed into English. Under either spelling, the term has great cultural currency and significance in Ireland. Reference Wikipedia
The bars of Ireland, the ones we visited, had plenty of ‘caint, ceol, agus craic’ – chat, music and craic.
Thank you Patrick for a trip we will never forget. And thanks for the
Guiness in the World's Oldest Pub!
Guiness in the World's Oldest Pub!
No comments:
Post a Comment