Shneaky Sip: Skip Sean’s Bar - you’d be barking mad to miss the chaotic craic at Flannery’s

Flannery's Bar, Sean Costello Street, Athlone

Truthfully, this visit was accidental, and the idea of a review came after the fact, but my pint in Flannery's left a lasting impression.

Let me set the scene. It's a sunny Saturday afternoon in Athlone, and there's a buzz around as the town hosts its first Croílár Festival. In dire need of a bathroom pit-stop between acts, my girlfriend and I cheekily slipped in an invitingly wide-open side door to Flannery's.

Well aware of our status as unpaying patrons, our attempts at inconspicuously beelining towards the toilets fell flat as we couldn't help but slow our strides to take in the surroundings. 

It's cosy and authentic, with real, unstaged bric-a-brac lining the walls, sawdust underfoot, and enough character (and characters) packed inside to rival Fawlty Towers. It's tight enough that you're forced to either eavesdrop or engage with the table next to you, if not the whole bar, and nobody seems to mind. There's also a distinct sense of divilment in the air.

That divilment is due in no small part to the pub's proprietor, Ann Flannery. She's craic-ed in the best kind of way, with a glint in her eye and a pair of roaming pub dogs in tow. 

Bathroom break done, nose around complete, and still no sign of the girlfriend, I gave in to temptation and ordered a pint - and it didn't disappoint. 

Within minutes of my reasonably priced (€5.50) Guinness landing, my Flannery's experience really began.

Ann emerged from behind the bar, clocked the two Collie-type dogs, and calmly reached up into a corner before holding a two-foot-long stuffed crocodile aloft. 

All bets were off. 

The dogs went mental. Or so I thought until a dummy throw from Ann made me quickly realise I'd seen nothing yet. 

The crocodile is launched, a poom of sawdust goes flying into the air, while a few tables of pint glasses - at the perfect height for a clean sweep from either of the dog's frantically wagging tails - threaten to take flight too.

A tussle later, the dogs agreed to share custody and jointly returned the crocodile to Ann, and the chaos kicked off all over again. 

If you ever find yourself thirsty in Athlone, skip the famed (and tad touristy) Sean's Bar and wander over the bridge to Flannery's. 

It's wild. It's wonderful. It's chaotic. It's craic. And most importantly, it's a tasty pint.

VERDICT: Four pints out of five.