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 ...
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 walls and the slanting floor that carried medieval floodwaters through the bar down to the nearby river as just two signs of the pub’s antiquity.
John taking in the sloping sawdust-coated floors with Timmy Donovan
Of the eye-catching memorabilia layering the pub’s walls, Timmy may be the proudest of the Guinness World Record certificate proclaiming Sean’s to be the oldest pub in the world.
That and the monster trout on display that Timmy himself landed in the nearby Lough, evidence of the prime fishing that has long drawn anglers to the region.
Timmy tells the saga of the Vikings sailing up the Shannon deep into the Hidden Heartlands, how for local monks distilling whiskey was doing God’s work, why hundreds of police uniform patches festoon the pub walls, and how American football fans are beating a path to Sean’s door.
The wattle and wicker case - ancient construction revealed during 1970s renovations
Sean’s Bar not only dispenses a full range of pints and pours, the legendary pub also serves its own Sean's Whiskey, now an integral part of the pub's identity, for which Timmy is a most compelling spokesperson.
The monks would be proud, Timmy.
Sláinte!
LINKS
Sean’s Bar
Hidden Heartlands Travel Resources
Irish Stew Links
Episode Details: Season 7, Episode 31; Total Episode Count: 134
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.
