Visiting Athlone for 3 nights: tips for pubs

Geuze

Staying in the Sheraton hotel on Gleeson street. I don't know the town at all.

What I am looking for:

• Pubs with character
• Guinness Extra Stout in bottles
• Maybe some Irish craft beers, e.g. Galway Hooker, O'Hara's, etc.
• Not hotel bars
• Not loud music

Pubs near the hotel

Gleeson street: it seems from Google StreetView that there aren't any pubs along Gleeson street. Are there any further out the Ballymahon road or towards the railway station?

Mardyke street: on Google Streetview I spotted Carey's and O'Neill's at the Gleeson st end – are they still open and any opinions on these?

Town centre pubs

Dublin Gate street / Church street / side streets – I don't know anything – any tips?? I'm told that there is a good pub on some street “downhill towards the river”????

Far side of bridge: I'm told that all the good pubs are west of the Shannon. Is there some truth in that? I have heard of Sean's bar, but I also see The Castle Inn on Streetview. It looks ok???

Thanks for any advice.

demanufactured

Seans bar is the busiest pub in town right now.
As far as i know Richard Graces do craft beers...but theres a chance you could be there all by yourself.
Stay on the west seid all the pubs on the east side of the bridge are dying a death.

Steven81

Seans, Castle Inn and The Snug.

Do the 3,

LostInLM

Steven81 wrote: »

Seans, Castle Inn and The Snug.

Do the 3,

Maguires on Connaught st has a good selection of craft and foreign beers. Just up the hill from Sean's and the snug.

Gertie Browns is another good pub beside the bridge.

veryangryman

LostInLM wrote: »

Steven81 wrote: »

Seans, Castle Inn and The Snug.
Do the 3,

Mulligans on Connaught st has a good selection of craft and foreign beers. Just up the hill from Sean's and the snug.
Gertie Browns is another good pub beside the bridge.

Pub down hill near river is harveys. Nice enough spot for Saturdays. Usually has music on and sound heads

Geuze

OK, so those three fairly close together are on my list: Castle Inn, Seans and the Snug, all on or close to Main street.

Richard Graces was referred to. Where is that?? Thanks.

EDIT: it seems to be on Sean Costello street, which is near the Sheraton.

I have used StreetView to travel from Main street along High, Bastion and O'Connell streets to Connacht street.

On Connaught street I can see an old-style pub called the Connaught, and another two doors up called Samz. Are these still in existence?

I can't see Maguires or Mulligan's on Connaught street??

Geuze

Is the Old Oak on Connaught street still open?

LostInLM

Geuze wrote: »

OK, so those three fairly close together are on my list: Castle Inn, Seans and the Snug, all on or close to Main street.

Richard Graces was referred to. Where is that?? Thanks.

I have used StreetView to travel from Main street along High, Bastion and O'Connell streets to Connacht street.

On Connaught street I can see an old-style pub called the Connaught, and another two doors up called Samz. Are these still in existence?

I can't see Maguires or Mulligan's on Connaught street??

facebook.com/maguiresbar

Maguires is relatively new. Rebuilt and open about a year.

boredatwork82

I would also recommend an evening out in Glasson Village, Lovely food in one of the excellent restaurants and then into grogans for a few.

SilverScreen

Geuze wrote: »

Pubs near the hotel
Mardyke street: on Google Streetview I spotted Carey's and O'Neill's at the Gleeson st end – are they still open and any opinions on these?

O'Neill's burned down, I've never been in Carey's however.

The west side of town is the best spot. Seans is great, although it can be jammed a lot of the time, and The Castle Inn is another great pub with a friendly atmosphere.

glen25

I second the recommendations for the bars in the Left Bank Area - Sean's Bar, Castle Inn and The Snug. Maguires has a great selection of beers in bottles and on tap and the pub itself look great inside. As far as I know it's only open at weekends (maybe from Thursday on).
Another cheap and cheerful option for a quick bite to eat and a drink is the pizza and pint deal in The Snug for €10. Pizza comes in from the Italian restaurant next door and you get a pint as well. Great Sunday evening chill out.
Gertie Brownes is also a good spot for a pint with a good clientele. Try a dinner in Thyme Restaurant if you get a chance. Top class food and it's no.1 on Tripadvisor.
Enjoy!

FlicFlak

Ok, Maguires is the best pub in town, best selection of beer, no loud music and regular customers (try the porterhouse plain on tap, wont be disappointed). top recommendation!!!

Its literally 2 minute walk up the road from Seans, Castle Inn and the Snug. My advice would be to stay over that side of town, in that general area.
Richard Graces is also a 2 minute walk from the Sheraton, but its in the opposite direction from the other pubs and its very quiet, customer wise, some bands play there now and again. Nice spot all the same!
I would stay away from any of the pubs up further from Maguires (Old oak, connaught lounge, sams tavern (think its closed now though)) Wouldnt be the best spots, up to you though!!

Geuze

Thanks to everybody for their advice.

Geuze

I walked from the hotel to Sean Costello street, but the only pub I could see was Flannery's. So I headed out of town, past Potter's, which didn't look great. I found Richard Graces and Sean Ogs. They looked ok, but I didn't go in.

So I tried Flannery's. Great locals pub, old style. Loads of old signs, sound barman, talkative older customers, plus a dog asleep on the carpet.

Guinness 3.50, good value.

Geuze

After that, I headed west, with a detour via the river. But first I passed two pubs, I think they are called The Local and Nuts Corner. I skipped both. I also passed Harvey's, which seemed closed.

I crossed the Shannon, and went to Maguire's. Small pub, packed, but very good. I will return.

tubos

I am only seeing this post now. I am glad you discovered Flannery's as I was going to recommend it. I love that pub, from the mad aul one behind the bar to the dog who sits on the chair beside you!

Dr. Kenneth Noisewater

I suggest next time you're in town, a trip to The Whirlpool (Sean's Bar, The Snug, The Castle Inn). 3 pubs all across from eachother. You sound like a man that would definately appreciate Sean's.

Geuze

tubos wrote: »

I am only seeing this post now. I am glad you discovered Flannery's as I was going to recommend it. I love that pub, from the mad aul one behind the bar to the dog who sits on the chair beside you!

I feel a bit bad, as after all the tips I got on here, I stuck to Flannery's and Maguires the first two nights.

Yes, she is a bit mad. Hard to put an age on her, but she wore a lovely dress, and looked very well.

But Lord Save Us does she talk!!!

She asked me, or more like ordered me, to stop looking at my phone, and join in the talk.

It's like everybody knows each other, and she conducts conversations from the bar with everybody, at full voice.

Geuze

There was a reason I stayed in Maguires on Connaught street both nights: the proprietor offered me free beer, twice. It's a bit of a story, but I obviously felt that I couldn't leave after that.

So it was only on my third night that I went to the Castle Inn. Good pub.

Seans and the Snug were both busy, as it was a Sat night, so I didn't actually have a drink there.

I did go to the Connaught House though - unreal.

martin1

Geuze wrote: »

Yes, she is a bit mad. Hard to put an age on her, but she wore a lovely dress, and looked very well.

Its a unique experience to visit this pub.

It should be treasured, along with the proprietress

Nice sing-a-long there on Saturday nights, with Tony and Val and sometimes they are joined by a really great 5 string banjo.
Dont miss it

nlgbbbblth

any craft beers in the hotel? I'll be there in a couple of months.

Sunny Dayz

nlgbbbblth wrote: »

any craft beers in the hotel? I'll be there in a couple of months.

Newish pub opened on Church street doing craft beers - the Malt House

charlieIRL

Unfortunately Richard Graces has closed since last weekend, pity as i loved the food in there.

veryangryman

charlieIRL wrote: »

Unfortunately Richard Graces has closed since last weekend, pity as i loved the food in there.

Hear hear, not helped by location. Nothing else that part of town if your on a crawl etc.

Geuze

10.5 years later, and I will be returning to Athlone in the next few weeks.

Last time I was there for three nights, Boards is a good place to record the pubs I visited, see above.

In 2012 I visited:

1. Flannery's
2. Maguires, Connaught street
3. The Castle Inn
4. The Connaught House

This time I have one night, a Thursday night, so I need to plan it well.

Is Flannery's still open, and is it the same proprietor as 2012?

I believe Maguires is gone.

Is the Connaught House open?

Would Sean's bar be very busy on a Thurs at, say, 9pm?

What is Gertie's like?

What is Seery's like?

Thanks.

Rikand

Flannerys is still open and yes, still the same proprietor. Still a great quirky spot as long as you don't mind the dog sitting down with you for a pint 😁

If youre still looking for crafty stuff, then Dead Centre Brewing is the place to go. All craft beers all the time. If not, Gertie browns beside it is a good spot. Nice pints and a couple of crafts on tap.

Sean's is busy every evening. At 9pm, you probably won't get seats inside but they've really done up the beer garden since you were last in town, so you shouldn't be cold out there.

Seerys is a grand spot but I haven't been in the Connacht for donkeys years so no idea if it's still open.

mr_edge_to_you

Flannerys is all changed.....in so far as I know I think they have a card machine now.

martin1

Best music session in town in Flannerys every Sunday night.

Geuze

In the end I could only leave the event I attended at nearly 10:30pm. Luckily Flannery's wasn't far away.

As I stepped over the threshold I could feel something around my legs, turns out there are three dogs now.

Great pub, Ann is friendly, full of talk, yes there is a card machine.

I made enquiries about the documentary, she told me about it.

She advised on the Connaught Lounge, encouraged me to go, and what to do if it wasn't open.

I sank two fast pints, made sure I had cash, and crossed the bridge.

It was open, four other customers, very local pub, Willie McGrath seems to know everybody, all talk.

He said he has been there for 55 years, he is also a farmer.

Two good pubs, I hope to not leave it another decade to visit them again.