Leixlip and Guinness
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LEIXLIP & GUINNESS: THE BREWING LEGEND BEGINS! Arthur Guinness Guinness & Leixlip HIS LIFE STORY The Guinness story LEIXLIP CASTLE AND rthur Guinness was born in 1725, near By the time Arthur passed away, aged 78, his HE GUINNESS SUCCESS STORY IS WELL KNOW TO ALL LEIXLIP LOCALS, THE MAIN STREET Celbridge in County Kildare, though son, Arthur Guinness II was able to take over the BUT BEYOND THE BORDERS OF THE TOWN, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF o this day, there are still strong there is some speculation about the exact running of the business, and the dynasty began. A A FEW HISTORIANS, FEW PEOPLE REALISE THAT WHERE YOU ARE connections between the town of Leixlip date and place of It was, by 1833, the largest brewery in Ireland, T and the Guinness family. When Arthur STANDING NOW IS ONLY A HUNDRED YARDS AWAY FROM WHERE THE T his birth. What and in 1886, it was a public company quoted on first set up the brewery at Castleview in 1756, it we can say with the London Stock Exchange, and had an annual BREWING LEGEND BEGAN. began a relationship with Leixlip that has confidence is that output of 1.2 million barrels. By 1929, 2 million existed for over 250 years. Arthur was in 1752, aged 27, pints of Guinness were sold a day, and in the ARTHUR GUINNESS WAS BORN NEAR CELBRIDGE IN COUNTY KILDARE. IN 1752, responsible for developing the brewery site by his godfather the same year, the company launched the hugely the river, and also the terrace of houses around HE WAS LEFT £100 IN A WILL. HE USED THE MONEY TO SET UP A BREWERY IN The magnificent Palladian-style Castletown House and grounds in Archbishop of successful and landmark advertising campaign what is known as Ralph Square. nearby Celbridge, Co. Kildare is now open to the public. Cashel, Arthur with the “Guinness is good for you” slogan, and LEIXLIP WITH HIS BROTHER, RICHARD. IT TOOK SEVERAL YEARS FOR THE Price, left Arthur the cartoon series featuring the famous line: BREWERY TO ESTABLISH ITSELF, BUT IT GAVE ARTHUR THE CONFIDENCE TO In the following year, he also bought the lease the same age Arthur was when he set up the and his father “My Goodness, my Guinness.” of the site where today we find the Mall along brewery in Leixlip. The castle was built in 1172 Arthur Guinness; 1725 - 1803 MOVE HIS OPERATION EASTWARDS INTO THE CAPITAL CITY OF DUBLIN. Richard £100 each the Main Street. He designed it to be tree- lined by Adam de Hereford on a rocky outcrop THE REST, AS THEY SAY, IS MOST DEFINITELY HISTORY! in his will. Arthur used the money to set up a By 2012, 10 million glasses of Guinness are and set back from the road, similar to the overlooking the confluence of the Rye River and brewery in Leixlip, as shown on the map. The enjoyed in over 150 countries around the globe. northern part of what is Dublin’s O’Connell the River Liffey, following the Norman Invasion 1755 Brewery lease for this brewery dates from 13th And it all started in a small brewery in Leixlip! Original Brewery Site Street, but was known then as the Mall. of Ireland in 1169. It has been modified and September, 1756 and a copy of the original lease 1756 Houses to let extended over the centuries. Needless to say, the is displayed in the nearby Courtyard Hotel. brewery would have had an excellent view of the 1775 Houses to let The original brewery site at Arthur’s younger brother Richard lived at Castleview until the early 1800s, and at some castle, hence its name, Castleview! In 1759, Arthur left the brewery to his brother Castleview is marked in red. The River Liffey was traversed by point he owned the lease of the nearby Salmon Richard, and acquired the lease to the now Desmond and his first a weir. The mill race shown to the Leap Inn. He was also a trustee of the turnpike famous site at St. James’s Gate in Dublin. The wife, Mariga (the former bottom left of the map extended road which ran from Lucan to Kinnegad, and Archbishop Dr. Arthur Price is interred in St. Princess Marie Gabrielle of down to a mill (shown below, was involved in the realignment of the road to Mary’s Church beside Arthur’s Square. Urach), founded the Irish pictured circa 1900). Some of the avoid the steep section at the Old Hill. He was a Georgian Society in April mill buildings still exist today at compatriot of Captain William Brady who built Above: Part of the 1759 lease, showing the what is today the Leixlip House Hotel. The road 1958 to help preserve Irish famous Guinness signature that is the end of Mill Lane, though the architecture. One of the synonymous with the brand worldwide. mill race has largely vanished. was named Captain’s Hill after him. early preservation cam- Left: The 1862 oval label that bears the harp paigns was at the nearby symbol and the Guinness signature. Obelisk (Connolly’s Folly) and in 1967-79, the Guinnesses bought and started to preserve Castletown House, in Celbridge, Kildare, said to be the finest Palladian house in Ireland. It was The inscription reads: “Here are deposited the remains of saved from demolition and is now in the hands Doctor Arthur Price. Lord Arch Bishop of Cashell who died of the state (run by the Office of Public Works). the 17th July 1752. Aged 74.” THIS INFORMATION BOARD IS PART OF THE ‘ARTHUR’S WAY’ TRAIL. THE COMPANY, THE BRAND VISITORS ARE ENCOURAGED TO VISIT OTHER SECTIONS OF THE ROUTE, Above: Interior view of cooperage at St. INCLUDING CELBRIDGE, THE BIRTHPLACE OF ARTHUR GUINNESS, AND Below: Leixlip Castle and Boathouse, viewed roughly from the site of Below: The weir on the River Liffey, now dismantled. James’s Gate Brewery, where coopers OUGHTERARD CEMETERY, IN CO. KILDARE, WHERE HE IS BURIED. The Guinness brand is not just an Irish success St. Mary’s Church is visible in the background. are at work, c.1900. the original ‘Castleview’ brewery. story. It is one of the world’s most recognised (Originally published between 1880-1900. © National Library of Ireland) (Originally published between ca. 1865-1914. © National Library of Ireland) “The Castle of Leixlip, at that period, possessed a character of romantic beauty and feudal grandeur, such as few buildings in Ireland can claim.” Leixlip Town Council Comhairle Baile Léim an Bhradáin brands. Like many companies, it had small Left: The iconic Toucan from the artist John Newtown House Teach an Nuabhaile ‘Leixlip Castle’ by Charles Maturin 41 Captain's Hill 41 Cnoc an Chaptaein beginnings, though it is fair to say with Arthur Gilroy, created in the Taken from The Literary Souvenir, Leixlip, Co. Kildare. Léim an Bhradáin, Co. Chill Dara. 1930s. His work was Tel: 01-6245777 Guthán: 01-6245777 Guinness at the helm, the brewing company had or Cabinet of Poetry and Romance, 1825 Fax: 01-6246666 Faics: 01-6246666 used up to the 1960s. E-mail: Ríomhphost: canny leadership from the start. [email protected] [email protected] Various parts of the brewery site and the Mall At the age of 34, he signed a 9,000 year lease on Left: Barges being loaded at Victoria Quay, remained in the family until the 1970s. Prior to Leixlip Town Council would like to thank Patrick Guinness, the Guinness e i Archive and Diageo Ireland for their generous assistance in the . d a disused brewery site at St. James’s Gate in r c. 1955. The barges that, in 1958, the Hon. Desmond Guinness a o production of this poster. b g n transported casks to i Dublin. The annual rent was £45. A decade later, w bought Leixlip Castle, perhaps Ireland’s oldest a r d e h ships in Dublin’s The black and white photographs of Leixlip are by t . w the company’s first export was a modest six and continuously inhabited house. Coincidentally, Robert French, 1841-1917, from the Lawrence Collection. w w docklands for export : n g © National Library of Ireland. i s a half barrels, bound for England. e around the world. Desmond was 27 when he acquired the castle; d Ale is out, stout is in... The harp is born... Guinness is good for ‘flu... Guinness; extra, extra cold! AND A WEE DROP OF GUINNESS! 1799 : Arthur Guinness takes the important step to stop 1862 : the Guinness trademark oval, buff-coloured label 1893 : Author Robert Louis Stevenson brought supplies of Guinness 1909 : Antarctic explorer Sir Douglas Mawson left some Guinness A BRIEF HISTORY TIMELINE OF IRELAND... brewing ales and from then on only brews ‘porter’, or stout. with harp and signature is introduced for the first time. to Western Samoa. He drank it to aid his recovery from the ‘flu! behind at his base camp, to be discovered 18 years later! 1315 AD: 1317 AD: 1725: 1740: 1756: 1776: 1798: 1803: 1828: 1862: 1879 AD: 1886: c. 8,000 BC: c. 3,500 BC: c. 2,000 BC: c. 500 BC: 432 AD: c. 6th Century: 1014 AD: Edward the Bruce St. Mary’s 1577 AD: 1607 AD: 1690 AD: Arthur Harsh winter and Arthur and Richard American Irish Arthur 1817: Daniel O'Connell Guinness Land League Guinness joins London Stock Exchange; 1929: 1950: 1972: 1998: 1999: First Mesolithic Neolithic monument Bronze Age Iron Age and Saint Patrick Golden Age of 795 AD: Battle of Clontarf; campaign to rally support Church The Great Flight of Battle of Guinness famine; Connolly’s Guinness establish Declaration Rebellion Guinness Severe campaigns for ‘harp’ logo campaigns becomes world’s largest brewery; 2 million pints of 5 million pints of Bloody The Good Friday Ireland adopts Ireland covered in ice sheets hunters built at Newgrange technology arrives Celtic in!uence returns to Ireland Irish monasteries FirstViking raids Brian Ború killed against Anglo-Normans destroyed Comet the Earls the Boyne is born Folly built brewery in Leixlip of Independence defeated dies famine Catholic Emancipation trademarked for fair rent annual production is 1.2 million barrels Guinness sold a day Guinness sold a day Sunday Agreement is signed the Euro currency 16,000BC 8,000BC 2,000BC 5thC 10thC 1700 1800 1900 2000 917 AD: 1169 AD: 1172 AD: 1494 AD: 1594 AD: 1649 AD: 1709 AD: 1722 AD: 1743 AD: 1769: 1789: 1828-1918: 1845-49: 1884: 1922: 1945: 1973: 1989: Battle of Confey Strongbow lands in Leixlip Castle; Poyning’s Law Nine Years’War Cromwell Great Frost; Castletown Wonderful First shipment French Revolution.