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Guinness descendant Garech de Brun at the event in Celbridge Village. Eamonn Farrell/Photocall Ireland

Statue of Arthur Guinness unveiled in his hometown

It was Arthur’s Day again in a Kildare village today.

ARTHUR GUINNESS HAS had a hard time of it lately but there is still a lot of love for the man responsible for the black stuff in his hometown.

A statue of the businessman was unveiled in Celbridge, county Kildare today.

Guinness was born in the village in 1725 and lived there for 30 years before leaving to start his career.

Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Jimmy Deenihan was at the event today, paying respect to the Guinness family.

“The Guinness name is recognised across the world, and I hope this statue encourages more people to visit Celbridge town and Castletown House,” he said.

Castletown House is Ireland’s largest and earliest Palladian-style house. It was saved from the hands of a property developer in 1967 by the Hon. Desmond Guinness, founder of the Irish Georgian Society.

The statue was commissioned by Celbridge Tidy Towns with the support of Diageo Ireland. It was created by local sculptor Jarlath Daly.

While Celbridge is the home of the master brewer, neighbouring town of Leixlip claims to be the birthplace of the drink itself. Guinness set up his first brewery in Leixlip.

Guinness is buried with a number of relatives in the nearby Oughterard cemetery, which TheJournal.ie took a tour of for Arthur’s Day last year.

Arthur’s Day: the man himself couldn’t be here – so we paid a visit

Your Arthur’s Day picture of the day – and not a pint in sight

They’re really clamping down on Arthur’s Day this year…

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56 Comments
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    Mute Eamonn Connaghan
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 5:59 PM

    This man was a suspected british spy, he was against Irish independence and home rule, his company had a sectarian employment policy, his company aided the occupying british forces with transport and equipment, his company donated £100,000 to aid uvf gun running efforts and we erect a statue to him. How does this make sense in a Irish republic?

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    Mute Leigh Power
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 6:19 PM

    To Arthur?

    54
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    Mute Michael Jordan
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 6:24 PM

    Eamon. In the 1700′s how many Anglican Protestant Irish were for Irish Indepenence. He was s supporter of Henry Gratton and he was in favour of Catholic Emancipation.

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    Mute Tony Slap
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 6:25 PM

    You have been drinking too much Gerry juice.

    29
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    Mute Tony Slap
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 6:28 PM

    One does not cease being a Welshman because one does not subscribe to independence for Wales. Do all Shinners suffer from tunnel vision?

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    Mute Ted Crilly
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 7:00 PM

    Other than that , he wasn’t too bad!

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    Mute AICS (Steve Tracey)
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 7:13 PM

    UVF I in the 1700s?
    This man also donated st Stephens green, iveagh baths, gardens, housing complex, theatre, medical centre for workers and more YEPMhe was a real b****** alright.

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    Mute Dave Sherman
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 7:41 PM

    Eamon, I don’t think the UVF are actually that old..

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    Mute John Dobermann
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 8:03 PM

    @Eamon Coonaghan & steve Trecay
    You are both getting your Guinness’ mixed up. He was not a British spy, he died shortly after the republican movement started and well before the home rule movement started.
    I’ve never heard of any sectarian employment policy but if you look area the liberties and Guinness Brewery area of Dublin a lot of the houses were made by Guinness (the company) for its employees. Lord Iveagh, a Guinness, was also responsible for these
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iveagh_Trust
    A later Guinness did send money for guns for the UVF though.
    Benjamin Guinness donated money to Stephens green.
    Guinness is one of, if not the most successful companies to come out of this country which is a remarkable feat for someone whose father was born Catholic and converted to protestant to enhance his own chances in life.

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    Mute AICS (Steve Tracey)
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 8:42 PM

    Right it wasn’t Arthur himself who donated so much but I rather think that it may have been partly due to the way he brought his family up and passed ideas on. I was mainly answering the UVF accusation garbage and his being a british spy. As correctly pointed out the republican movement and probably resistance to British rule hadn’t started

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    Mute Morticia
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 9:27 PM

    The Brewery did more for Dublin than the shinners ever did.

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    Mute RiobairdOMaingain
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    Oct 3rd 2013, 6:06 AM

    The ‘shinners’ gave your your freedom…Jesus the Irish are so thick no wonder we are the butt of so many jokes

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    Mute Morticia
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 7:26 PM

    The Iveagh Hostel,funded by Guinness, looked after homeless men long before Simon and the other groups were invented.

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    Mute Irelands Eye
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 8:26 PM

    There’ll be statue of Captain Morgan outside coppers next

    69
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    Mute Joseph Mcgreevy
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 6:00 PM

    I heard he was a British spy back in the day drink bulmers at least it’s Irish

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    Mute Kevin Smyth
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 6:36 PM

    Beamish (can).

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    Mute AICS (Steve Tracey)
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 7:15 PM

    Actually back in the day Bulmers was English which is still the reason why Bulmers brewed here is called Magners in thevUK

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    Mute Dave Sherman
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 7:42 PM

    Nothing to do with that, it was a licensing issue. It’s now all Bulmers.

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    Mute Laurence The Bird
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 8:00 PM

    Dave the brand is Magners in GB

    17
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    Mute AICS (Steve Tracey)
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 8:48 PM

    Bulmers sent one of their master brewers across to assist the brewery in producing cider, which was relatively unknown in Ireland. Part of the deal was that Bulmers UK would not sell cider in Ireland and Bulmers Ireland would not use the name in UK. Hence the name differences.
    Bulmers sold in the UK under that name is not brewed here but in Hereford (although I might be wrong about it being in Hereford nowadays)

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    Mute Gareth Dolan
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 10:50 PM

    Actually it’s still called magners over in Canada,

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    Mute Roghan Headen
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 6:42 PM

    Guinness funded public sector pay for a sort while during the 60′s

    22
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    Mute Morticia
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 7:24 PM

    Guinness funded the Beano where poor kids could play and read. When you look at the area now all the tenements have been cleared but not too long ago the Thomas St and James’s St area was teeming with kids.

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    Mute Morticia
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 7:28 PM

    The Iveagh Baths, funded by the Brewery, was where we went to swim in winter when the canals were frozen solid. And we would hang on after our time was up just to keep warm for another little while.

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    Mute On Raglan Road
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 6:06 PM

    Wouldn’t it be nice to see his statue over the arch at the main gate in James’s St.

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    Mute Kevin Carey
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 6:13 PM

    Or in Leixlip.

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    Mute Morticia
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 6:22 PM

    Or outside McWeenys beside Catherines Bakery.

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    Mute On Raglan Road
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 6:44 PM

    Where’s Leixlip?

    23
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    Mute Morticia
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 7:51 PM

    @On Raglan Road, I think it’s beyond Inchicore or one of dem places.

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    Mute Fiona Costello
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 7:25 PM

    With a population of over 18000, Celbridge is a little bigger than a village as described in this article.

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    Mute Liz Bond-Blanch
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 8:20 PM

    Celbridge is officially a town with a population of 19+K but to be fair, Main St has a village feel to it and the statue fits well into this environment – shame it wasn’t erected this time last week

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    Mute Alexoz
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 9:22 PM

    Smellbridge is a town where a lot of unwanted people of Dublin live for the last few years; easy access to Dublin (bus eireann, Dublin bus, train….), cheap rent and “ghetto-isation” of quiet & nice areas in the past (castletown, st Patrick…estates)…one main street unattractive…

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    Mute Liz Bond-Blanch
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 9:54 PM

    Oooh, those “unwanted” people from Dublin have ensured that things like the local St Patricks Day parade has been re-established, business has been returned to the Main St etc. Ghettoisation of Paddys Park…….really?? Reveal yourself Alexoz, not through a fakey Twitter account and tell me that Smellbridge is not a great place to live- all the transport routes you quoted and IMO a gorgeous Main St with small local business, convenience stores and 6 pubs…..what’s not to love!!!!

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    Mute Michael Connolly
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 10:01 PM

    This time last week most of the Diageo top people were not available.

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    Mute Liz Bond-Blanch
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 11:25 PM

    That is more the reason that the statue should have been unveiled then, lots of real “Guinness” family are still resident in Celbridge and its environs, Marina Guinness to name but one and a wonderful person to boot-might have made “Arthurs Day” more meaningful as an historical day rather than a marketing day

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    Mute Theresa Scanlon
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    Oct 3rd 2013, 4:50 AM

    I love Smellbridge!! It took me two years of living in Rialto and Tallaght to appreciate the beauty and history we have on our doorsteps! We have easy access to pretty much everything here- city centre just down the road for the townies and lots of open air for the outdoorsy folk. Hope to stay here for as long as I can :)

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    Mute RiobairdOMaingain
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    Oct 3rd 2013, 6:07 AM

    Used to live there,kip!

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    Mute Michael Connolly
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    Oct 3rd 2013, 9:58 AM

    The local Guinness family were all present and supportive. The Minister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht Mr. Jimmy Deenihan performed the unveiling. Jimmy Deenihan has five All Ireland winning medals to his credit and a true representative of the culture of Ireland and perfectly suited to the occasion. His speech incorporated the history of the Guinness family and how they have influenced the local heritage, he gave great praise to Desmond Guinness on his work in saving Castletown House and estate. It was very much a non marketing day. Just curious – were you there?

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    Mute Liz Bond-Blanch
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    Oct 3rd 2013, 11:26 AM

    Unfortunately not Michael, was at work

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    Mute David McDermott
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 5:56 PM

    Ah cool. Thanks Sinead.

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    Mute john ferguson
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 6:29 PM

    To Martha

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    Mute David McDermott
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 5:51 PM

    Where in the village was the statue put does anybody know?

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    Mute vv7k7Z3c
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 5:54 PM

    Hey David,

    It’s just outside Oldtown Hall (where the NCBI charity shop is). If your back is to Castletown House, it’s on the left-hand side after the flower shop.

    Sinéad

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    Mute Aasif
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 5:55 PM

    Not sure but I hope they have it alarmed and secured at night with all the metal robberies these days

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    Mute Dave Murray
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 6:51 PM

    Aasif,
    The hardcore metal thieves are out of action for a while after they brought those stolen radioactive lightning rods home to Rathkeale ….they were using them as candle holders apparently.

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    Mute AICS (Steve Tracey)
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 7:15 PM

    Ha Ha

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    Mute Michelle Mc Loughney
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 7:18 PM

    Aasif, it should be okay considering the potential thieves are now florescent.

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    Mute Ger Quinn
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 7:38 PM

    He was nothing but a British informer and a traitor, lost the right to be called an Irishman in my eyes

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    Mute Michael Jordan
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 8:38 PM

    Ger. What a stupid statement. In 1759 there was no Independence movement or Home Rule movement so who was he informing on?
    He supported Catholic Emancipation and done a lot of Dublins working class by building housing and creating employment.

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    Mute John Dobermann
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 8:59 PM

    The United Irishmen called Guinness a British spy in their newspaper once.
    http://www.broadsheet.ie/2013/09/25/guinness-snout/

    If you except this a definitive proof, good luck to you. He would have been a very old man at this stage so is him being a spy likely? I don’t think so. He was a unionist though, and why not? He was a very successful businessman so why would he want to change the status quo especially giving how France was being torn apart by revolution at this time. He may have been wary of a similar revolution breaking out in Ireland by the republican movement.

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    Mute RiobairdOMaingain
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    Oct 3rd 2013, 6:09 AM

    Sure Carson was from Dublin

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    Mute Shredded
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 8:13 PM

    The statue looks nothing like your man

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    Mute Michael Connolly
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 10:04 PM

    Have you met him?

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    Mute MC Ní Dhálaigh
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    Oct 2nd 2013, 11:17 PM

    His company may have been well ahead of its time in providing basic medical care, widows pensions etc. to workers but he also instituted a policy whereby Catholic workers were not permitted to be employed above the position of clerk, also Catholic and Protestant workers had separate pubs, the latter being better establishments into which Catholics weren’t allowed enter.
    So an out and out bigot really.
    Unless you think bigots should be celebrated with statues because they were exceptionally wealthy and donated some of their vast, vast land holdings to the public?
    Whatever the historical context or wish of a multinational to promote their drink products bigotry is as unacceptable then as it should be now.

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    Mute Andrew Kavanagh
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    Oct 3rd 2013, 10:23 AM

    Looks like Edward Woodward. If it needs a nickname, I might suggest ‘The Wigger Man’…

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    Mute tom
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    Oct 3rd 2013, 10:28 AM

    We don’t need another national alcohol day, It’s embarrassing.

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