Photo Courtesy of The Eganville Leader
Over nearly 124 years in print, the Eganville Leader has collected its share of honours. But few compare to the distinction recently bestowed on longtime columnist Al Donohue by Guinness World Records.
Donohue, author of the weekly column An Old Man’s View, has been officially recognized as the world’s “oldest weekly newspaper columnist (male).” The record was verified Oct. 27, 2025, and he recently received the commemorative plaque marking the achievement.
Now 96, Donohue began writing his weekly column in January 2012. In 2014, he published a collection of favourites titled Tales From Good ‘Ole Cowpie Valley. Fittingly, he shares a birthday — June 20 — with the Leader, though he was born in 1929, 27 years after the newspaper’s founding.
The Eganville leader has recently been prominent news in the Valley following it’s sale to London Publishing Inc. headed up by Ray Stanton.
Asked about the future of the Leader following its recent sale, Donohue offered a simple response: “The best news is that the people still want the Eganville Leader in circulation.”
(Richard Evans)
