[4][5] Archaeological surveys indicate that the oldest parts of the building were constructed in or around the 17th century,[6] with some more ancient materials perhaps having been scavenged and reused from elsewhere.[7] The latter includes research, including by John Bradley on behalf of the Office of Public Works and published in the Record of Monuments and Places and by the National Inventory of Architectural Heritage, which suggests that the building dates to c. 1725, while "possibly containing the fabric of earlier buildings".[8] A number of tavern tokens, of an unspecified age and now on display in the National Museum of Ireland, were also found.[1] In 2004, Guinness World Records issued a certificate to Sean's Bar as the "oldest pub in Ireland".[1][2][9] The proprietors have claimed to possess a list of "nearly all previous owners" going back centuries,[10][8] potentially to the time of Luan, after whom Athlone town is named.
Wattle wall display from previous establishment on the site of Sean's Bar