Ireland's oldest pub will close temporarily due to the ongoing Covid-19 crisis.
Several bars and restaurants have made the decision to close their doors in an attempt to halt the spread of
coronavirus in this country.
Social distancing measures have been encouraged by the Irish Government but they have not been observed by many members of the public.
Sean's Bar in Athlone, believed to be Ireland's oldest pub, acknowledged that social distancing is not working and therefore took it upon themselves to close for the foreseeable future.
A statement on social media on Saturday reads: "Sean's Bar will be closing from 11pm, Sunday March 15 (tomorrow) until further notice.
"Social distancing is not working especially for pubs like ours. In the best interests of the most vulnerable people in society, our staff and our customers we feel that we should close our doors now and reassess things in the coming weeks.
"We apologise to our local customers and to those who may be travelling from a distance to visit us for any inconvenience caused.
"We will keep you updated on social media as the situation develops. Stay safe, Sean's Bar management."
Sean's Bar is said to have first opened in 900AD and in 2004, the Guinness Book of World Records listed Sean's Bar as the oldest in Europe.
