By Sean Murphy
A DONEGAL woman known as the world’s oldest pub landlady has sadly died.
Nancy Murray, from Muff, was 96 when she passed away last Tuesday, July 28.
The Donegal great-grandmother worked behind bars for over for half a century and was boss of Peveril of the Peak pub in Manchester, England, for decades.
Donegal woman Nancy Murray, who was known as the world’s oldest pub landlady has sadly died, aged 96.
Her family said: “The pub will remain open thanks to our brilliant staff.
“If you pop in anytime soon, please raise your glass to the wonder that was Nancy.”
Nancy was born in Inishowen in 1930 and left Donegal in 1946 to search for work in Glasgow when she was just 16.
She moved in 1950 to Manchester where she met her future husband Tommy Swanick.
They opened the Peveril of the Peak pub in 1971. Tommy died in 1981.
Speaking in 2021 to mark 50 years of pulling pints, Nancy said: “I left Donegal when I was young, but I’ve never lost my accent.”
“I love meeting Irish people here and I say, ‘There will be one behind the bar for you when you come back’.”
She added: “People say I’m the oldest landlady around. I certainly don’t know anyone who is older than me and still has a pub.
“I don’t do as much these days, but the Guinness Book of Records might contact me, and I wouldn’t mind that at all. It would be great publicity.
“I’m in my 90s, but my mind is as good as when I was 16. As the man says, I haven’t lost it yet. I’ll still crack the whip.”
Nancy Murray with Robbie Coltrane in her pub during filming of TV show Cracker.
Historians believe the pub was built between 1824 and 1829 and was first listed as a public house in 1830.
When Nancy took over the Pev pub in early 1971, Jack Lynch was Taoiseach; singer Brendan Shine was top of the Irish pop charts with his song O’Brien Has Nowhere To Go; and footballer Roy Keane was seven months from birth.
Nancy has served up drinks to stars such as footballers Eric Cantona and Gary Neville, Liam and Noel Gallagher of Oasis, movie stars Steve Coogan and TV celebrities such as Robbie Coltrane, and Coronation Street actor Bill Tarmey.
Irish actor Jimmy Nesbitt’s show Cold Feet filmed scenes in The Pev, Oasis had a photoshoot outside for their debut album Definitely Maybe, and the pub has also been used by shows like Coronation Street and the X Factor.
Eric Cantona popped by for the reopening after COVID-19 lockdown and signed United photos for Nancy and posed with her son Maurice.
Nancy Murray, from Donegal, with Coronation Street actor Bill Tarmey.
The family notice said: “We are sad to say that our beloved Nancy, landlady for over 55 years, passed away peacefully.
“Nancy always kept up to date with news about The Pev and we told her about our new accolade of Best Pub a few days ago.
“The Pev will stay in the Swanick family and we will continue to cherish it as we did Nancy.”