An old pub, a cold day, a warm welcome - despite all the hard times, Irish spirits still up
By: Molly Muldoon | Published Wednesday, January 9, 2013, 7:46 AM | Updated Wednesday, January 9, 2013, 7:46 AM
There was sawdust on the floor when I stood in Ireland's oldest pub this past weekend.
It was four o'clock on a Sunday afternoon, amid freezing temperatures and treacherous road conditions, to my disbelief the people of Athlone has left the comfort of their surroundings to join their friends in Sean's Bar.
The bar was packed with locals, and a turf fire burned in the grate that people stopped at on their way in from the cold air. A lively trad session was in full swing in the corner and the barman, greeted me with a smile when I arrived at the bar.
A Sunday afternoon in a pub in the heart of Ireland and the place was hopping.
As I examined the sign on the wall detailing the history of Ireland's oldest pub, in true irony I was reminded of our countries rich legacy, our resilience and our ability to endure.
Yesterday in Ireland the dogs on the street were talking about Ireland's draconian budget.
Commentators around the world wagged their fingers at the Irish Government who delivered the most anticipated budget in the history of that state.
The financial crisis has bruised Irish sensibilities as deeply as it has strained pocketbooks, according to the New York Times.
It seems everyone has an opinion on Ireland's recent downward spiral.
After over a year abroad, I have been at home now for two months and I do admit that for many the situation is bleak. Despite this, the majority of people I have come across are currently employed or finding work in some shape or form.
One friend freelances as a researcher one day a week and works part time in a department store.
One father takes odd jobs painting families houses in between his on and off weeks at work.
One chef whose hours have been cut is now considering going back to college to reinvent herself.
A couple are painting Christmas scenes on windows and selling Christmas trees for extra cash.
A pensioner is baking bread for a local restaurant to help buy Christmas presents.
A group of friends I met, are home from Australia just over a year. Living in the same house they are all are currently employed and each night one of them cooks dinner for everyone to save on food costs.
Excessiveness and over indulgence did sweep through Ireland and undeniably people around the country are suffering and will be greatly affected by yesterday's budget.
Irreversible damage has been done, people around Ireland are less well off because of the recklessness of others. For the most part everyone I have met in the last eight weeks is finding it hard and has tightened their belt by necessity not choice. But they are surviving.
John Burns of the New York Times said yesterday that Ireland was feeling the pain of the crisis in it's soul.
The people that I have met may be angry, may be financially worse off, but their Irish souls remain intact.
As the music of a fiddle, a tin whistle and a bodhran filled the corners of Ireland's oldest pub on Sunday afternoon, there wasn't talk of despair, there was no mention of the IMF, instead all I heard was the resonating sound of our Irish exuberance.
34 Comments
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
-
Switch to the desktop site to post a comment.mamaginnty | Jan 03, 2011, 01:48 PM EST
AH SURE, NOTHIN COULD BEAT SITTIN IN THE CORNER WITH THE OULD LAD, FIRE BLAZIN AND THE GLASS O' HOT WHISKY PLENTY O' SUGAR AND CLOVES, LICKIN ME LIPS AT DA THOUGHT. HAPPY NEW YEAR TA YE ALL.
bigsleep | Dec 26, 2010, 12:10 PM EST
There's nothing like it......except another round...May your Guinness glass always be half full!!
MarkMary73 | Dec 23, 2010, 06:33 PM EST
Fair play to them!
patmcbride | Dec 10, 2010, 08:24 PM EST
Go, Molly! You are a disciplined, articulate, thorough writer as evidenced in this piece and as you are in all you do. Irish Central is fortunate to have you on staff.
DanOLoingsigh | Dec 10, 2010, 07:40 PM EST
WK – I am using the term in the same vein as Nouveau riche (French for "new rich") referring to a person who has acquired wealth within his or her generation, therefore a person who has no history of speaking the language from his forebears. Personally I don’t see much point in learning the language, I can think of more useful ways of spending time… the language is effectively dead, hence we communicate in English…only my opinion, but I do have a very personal view on how the right to learn the language can be withheld for reasons of oppression…long time ago…
WoundedKnee | Dec 10, 2010, 07:03 AM EST
"There is a move to ‘gaelicise’ some names; this is somewhat of an affectation…usually by Nouveau Irish Speakers." What's all that about, DanOLoingsigh? How are names gaelicized? Like you have done with yours? What's wrong with that? I respect your preference, I'm not going to call you Dan Lynch. But what's this Nouveau Irish? Is that a new form of Irish? Or is it new speakers of Irish? Are you a Nouveau speaker? But you don't want Irish to have new speakers? And you don't care about the language staying alive, but you worry about the music? The language doesn't matter as long as there's some guy in a pub banging away on a bodhran?
peterson | Dec 09, 2010, 08:22 PM EST
We Irish, are strong and hardy and will survive if we help each other !!
DanOLoingsigh | Dec 09, 2010, 07:24 PM EST
Sadly I find myself in broad agreement with George D and Wounded Knee…many Irish pubs put on very feeble ’entertainment’ , often consisting of ‘country & Irish’ bands with standard, poor quality US country music covers. You need to look quite hard for the more authentic music, but it’s well worth the effort when you find it. Ditto the language, but I’m not too worried on that score. There is a move to ‘gaelicise’ some names; this is somewhat of an affectation…usually by Nouveau Irish Speakers.
GeorgeDillon | Dec 09, 2010, 02:41 PM EST
weed: It's "old", not "olde". And if you think Irish music is making a comeback turn on your radio next time you're over there. Or even try to get some Irish stations on internet from here. You'll hear Lady Gaga and others whose names I don't know, but except for one station,(Gaeltacht) you'll hear no Irish music. As to Irish language, stop living in cuckoo land and take a stroll down Dublin's O'Connell Street or Cork's Patrick Street. Better still, repeat your stroll every day for a year. Do you know how many times you'll have heard Irish being used in conversation during that year? ZERO. NADA. NUNCA. Get the green cobwebs out of your brain and face the reality of Ireland.
weedbgone | Dec 09, 2010, 01:23 PM EST
An Irish citizen can complain about themselves but Irish tradition wins out in the end. The Irish music and the olde Irish names and language are making a comeback, WK is ridiculous as are you.
GeorgeDillon | Dec 09, 2010, 12:58 PM EST
philkennedy: You can believe what you like, but, as a frequent visitor to Ireland, I believe that WK is right on the money. An extraordinary number of Irish people seem to hate Irish traditional music and lose no chance to sneer at it. Come to think of it, you could say the same about the Irish language--a huge number of Irish hate it and sneer at it.
weedbgone | Dec 09, 2010, 12:55 PM EST
I wish I were sitting right there in front of the fire, the heart of an Irishman or woman is always in Ireland.
PolinDeB | Dec 08, 2010, 09:47 PM EST
A pint? Yeah that's the hardest thing being out of Ireland for the crisis, there's always a bit of craic at home when the going gets hard ;0
rwhoran | Dec 08, 2010, 08:11 PM EST
Long live the Irish spirit, Amen
kateomprint | Dec 08, 2010, 06:17 PM EST
Have been in Seans Bar and loved it. Great craic and the atmosphere was mighty
londonirishtom | Dec 08, 2010, 06:00 PM EST
Brewery Tap, Tullamore, Monday night session still going?
IrishLass127 | Dec 08, 2010, 03:51 PM EST
Aye, there is no heart like the heart of Irishman or woman. We believe that all things are possible and being rich doesn't necessarily mean we have a lot of money.
Liamkeyes | Dec 08, 2010, 02:45 PM EST
I would advise any person going to Dublin to stay out of the pubs in Temple Bar. 6.50 Euro for a pint of Guinness which comesto about $9.10, a few of the Tourist pus around the country tend to charge higher prices but nothing like Temple Bar.
philkennedy | Dec 08, 2010, 02:35 PM EST
I hope the Irish people will get up & vote at the next General Election in the new year - then perhaps we'll have a Government that puts the county & the people first.
philkennedy | Dec 08, 2010, 02:31 PM EST
I believe the majority of Irish people have a great respect for traditional Irish music, as have I. The Irish people have come through worse times/events than these & survived! It's said a people get the goveernment it deserves?
WoundedKnee | Dec 08, 2010, 01:56 PM EST
Sounds like a nice pub. But very much a minority. In most Irish pubs the TV is blaring and people are screaming at the TV, shouting for some English soccer teams. And as to Irish music, many if not most Irish people sneer at it and use the pejorative phrase "diddley-die" to describe it. Americans should realize the reality of 90% of Ireland rather than believe in an Ireland that does not exist.
zenahifalls | Dec 08, 2010, 01:19 PM EST
i've done a few pub crawls and have been in both seans and the brazen head but keatings in kilbaha is the best
Whitepark | Dec 08, 2010, 12:40 PM EST
I enjoyed reading about the Pub in Athlone, but I believe that the "Brazen Head" Pub Established in 1198 in Dublin is the oldest Pub in Ireland, I visited it in 2009.
yolatreacy | Dec 08, 2010, 12:39 PM EST
Glad to read a more positive leaning story from Ireland. Indeed Sean's Bar, just like the country, has seen civil war, famine, occupation, revolution and depression over the Centuries. It still endures as does the Irish Spirit.
Jimsteer | Dec 08, 2010, 12:30 PM EST
Good on you Jimmy
greenferrett101 | Dec 08, 2010, 11:29 AM EST
This makes me feel better about the state of Ireland :-)
feeneycj | Dec 08, 2010, 10:39 AM EST
Slainte!
tippboy | Dec 08, 2010, 10:34 AM EST
I haven't been in Sean's pub in Athlone for many years but I can attest that it's a fine old place and the sessions are great. It's one of the many pubs that claim to be the oldest in Ireland - who knows the truth. Bottom line - if you're in Athlone go to Sean's!
katieusau2fan | Dec 08, 2010, 10:23 AM EST
I love this. It shows the Irish can see the sunny side of any situation. I pray that things will turn around for the Irish people. God bless.
annhowell | Dec 08, 2010, 10:10 AM EST
Heartening!
irishcoffeekid | Dec 08, 2010, 09:54 AM EST
Great story and shows the resilience of the Irish - we're (unfortunately) used to recessions (thanks to bad governments and excess spending) but we always bounce back. I grew up in Ireland and when I was a kid times were tough too but we always get through it and we keep on smiling despite the misery! Its in our spirit to make it through hard times (living in the USA I'm seeing we cope better with it here too!)
paschal | Dec 08, 2010, 09:41 AM EST
Great story. I went to school (Technical College) and I didn't know Seans bar is the oldest in Ireland
patriciarea | Dec 08, 2010, 09:41 AM EST
All I could think was I wish I was there!
golfingfan | Dec 08, 2010, 09:34 AM EST
I have never heard of Seans Pub, but I have heard of and visited Durty Nellies in Bunratty. I was told then that Durty Nellies was the oldest pub in Ireland. Where is Seans"s Pub?