TImmy Donovan
Shanachie
Timmy Donovan has been part of Sean’s Bar in Athlone for 37 years, serving as the pub’s official storyteller and ambassador of its living heritage. Known for bringing centuries of history to life with wit and warmth, he connects visitors from around the world to the legend of the world’s oldest bar. Timmy also proudly promotes Sean’s Whiskey, sharing its authentic character and deep roots in Ireland’s oldest hospitality tradition.
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Nov. 2, 2025
Sean's Bar Shanachie - Timmy Donovan
The oldest pub in Ireland, Europe…the world? Lend an ear as we explore the legend and lore of Sean’s Bar with the pub’s official storyteller Timmy Donovan. A central character in the Sean’s Bar story for the past 37 years, Timmy flips the calendar back to AD 900 when Luain Mac Luighdeach set up an inn on the banks of the Shannon which would evolve over the centuries into the Sean’s Bar of today. He points out the ancient wicker-and-wattle construction unearthed in the venerable pub’s plaster ...
Guest: TImmy Donovan