How accurate is "House of Guinness"? The new Netflix series tells the story of the historic Irish brewery

From September 25, House of Guinness arrives on Netflix, a mix between Succession and Peaky Blinders, blending together the plots and legacies of the world’s most famous stout-brewing family with the gritty, vibrant city atmosphere of Dublin as described by showrunner Steven Knight. True to Knight’s style, House of Guinness is also a period drama that catapults viewers into the heart of the 19th century, beginning with the death of magnate Sir Benjamin Guinness in 1868 and the reading of the will that would shape the future not only of the brewery but of his entire family.

The eight-episode show focuses on the consequences faced by the four children, who are tasked with a dual mission: on one side, maintaining the reputation of the Guinness name, and on the other, seeking expansion, starting with the conquest of America. The peculiarity of the family lies in its deep ties not only to its own personal history but also to that of Dublin society as a whole, from an economic to a political/religious perspective. It is within the Protestant community that the country’s elite thrived, while Catholicism represented the poorest fringe of society. Also central is the question of Ireland’s independence from the British crown, another pivotal issue intertwined with the Guinness legacy.

The first thing to know about House of Guinness is the truthfulness of the story. While it is clear that the series has been adapted to allow for more compelling storytelling, its screenplay was written by Ivana Lowell, a cousin of the Guinness family, daughter of writer Lady Caroline Blackwood, and granddaughter of Maureen, Marchioness of Dufferin and Ava, one of the three famous “Guinness Golden Girls” of the 1920s British high society. The narrative focuses on the commercial soul of the family and opens with the backdrop of the Fenians – Irish revolutionaries determined to free Ireland from Britain through armed struggle – targeting Guinness’s interests, even though the company had always treated its workers with respect.

The protagonists are the eldest son, Arthur, played by Anthony Boyle, who was expected to inherit full control of the company but instead had to share it with the younger Edward, played by Louis Partridge, already seen in Netflix’s Enola Holmes films and AppleTV+’s Disclaimer. The relationship between the two grows tense in the series due to their different characters, compounded by the responsibility of maintaining the family brand as their father had done so remarkably.

In reality, Arthur eventually sold his share to Edward and took his father’s place in Parliament. He chose a political career, becoming a Conservative MP for the city of Dublin in 1868, when all of Ireland was part of the United Kingdom. He held the seat for a year before it was annulled after it was revealed that illegal efforts by an election agent had secured his position. Claiming ignorance, Arthur ran again in 1874 and won. He also owned numerous estates in Galway, previously belonging to his father.

Edward, then, took over the company and in 1876, at the age of twenty-nine, became sole owner of Guinness, exponentially increasing the brewery’s value. By 1879, the company was producing 565,000 barrels of stout, and by 1886, it was producing 907,000 worldwide. He became Ireland’s richest man in 1886 when he floated two-thirds of the company on the London Stock Exchange for £6 million. He retired at the age of forty, while remaining the company’s chairman and largest shareholder. He was also responsible for the construction of the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin, one of the city’s most successful tourist attractions. Edward is also remembered for his philanthropic spirit: in the mid-19th century, he donated over a million pounds to create affordable housing, and later in the century, the Guinness Trust was established to help the homeless.

Little is known about Benjamin Lee Jr. Guinness, the youngest brother, played by Fionn O'Shea, except that he was not particularly involved in the company’s activities. Anne, played in the series by Emily Fairn, inherited nothing from the Guinness estate, but the show grants her a storyline exploring how women, excluded from the rooms of power, could exert influence through other channels. Her work, particularly as a philanthropist, was significant: in 1876, she founded St. Patrick's Home in Dublin and played a key role in founding several educational institutions with her husband William Plunket, such as the Irish Clergy Daughters' School. The four Guinness siblings are not the only real figures included in the series. There are also exceptions, such as the revolutionary Ellen Cochrane, played by Niamh McCormack, who seems to embody various personalities from the community surrounding the brewery.

Completely fictional, however, is the loyal Rafferty, played by James Norton, who appears in House of Guinness as a resolute foreman (and womanizer) at the factory. The question that inevitably arises at the end of the Netflix show is: Does Guinness still belong to the original family? The answer is no. In 1986, the brand merged with Grand Metropolitan, a British food and beverage conglomerate, to form the multinational Diageo, which today owns Guinness, although the heirs still retain a stake. The family’s total fortune is estimated at over £900 million, comprising not only beer production but also investments and other properties, including the Elveden estate in Suffolk, covering 22,500 acres and used for agriculture.