The Information about Ireland Site Newsletter
October 2007
The Newsletter for people interested in Ireland
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Copyright (C) 2007
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The Information about Ireland Site Newsletter
October 2007
The Newsletter for people interested in Ireland
Now received by over 50,000 people worldwide
https://www.ireland-information.com
https://www.irishnation.com
Copyright (C) 2007
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IN THIS ISSUE
=== Foreword
=== News Snaps from Ireland
=== New free resources at the site
=== Irish Halloween Traditions
=== The Road to Knowledge by John B. McCabe
=== Feedback about the Irish in the US Civil War
=== An Australians Visit to Ireland
=== Guinness in the Twenty-First Century
=== Gaelic Phrases of the Month
=== Monthly free competition result
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FOREWORD
========
Happy Halloween from a very cold Ireland! Be
sure to check out our article about Halloween
traditions in Ireland below
Many thanks to this months contributors and
especially John B. McCabe who has sent us
in another reminisce about life in 1950s
Ireland.
Please DO send us in your stories, poems or
articles about Ireland for the next edition
- we love including reader contributions,
until next month,
Michael
WE NEED YOUR HELP!
PLEASE - send this newsletter on to your friends
or relatives who you think are interested in
Ireland. By doing this you are helping to keep
us 'free'.
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NEWS SNAPS FROM IRELAND
=======================
IRISH ECONOMY: ON THE WAY UP OR DOWN?
Conflicting reports about the future direction
of the Irish economy have been emanating from
think-thanks, financial institutions and the
government itself.
There is little doubt that the recent slow-down
in construction activity has hit the economy but
how badly? The government continues to maintain
that the economy is in good shape and that the
pessimism is overstated. Financial institutions
however are forecasting a much lower rate of
growth for 2008, generally within the 2 to 3%
range.
The Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI)
has predicted growth of 2.9% in 2008 but has
admitted that in recent years it has
under-estimated economic growth on an almost
annual basis. The Central Bank and the OECD
(Organisation for Economic Co-operation and
Development) were also guilty of under-estimating
economic growth in Ireland. The 3 bodies performed
on a relative par up to the turn of the decade
but after the new century began they failed by
margins of between 1.3% to 3.8% in predicting
growth in the economy. Such disparities are
unlikely to give the Irish public any confidence
in the ability of these organisations to make
such economic predictions.
Recent highs of just under 90,000 housing units
being built annually look set to fall back
sharply to 50 or 60 thousand in 2008. With house
prices falling it is unlikely that builders will
start to develop new projects until their are
signs of a upturn. Some economists are predicting
that this could actually lead to price increases
in a years time! Certainly there are signs that
demand is still high for properties to rent with
rents going up significantly.
Despite the slowdown in the property market
(prices have fallen by anywhere between 4 and 8%
depending on which survey you read), 1 in 3 Irish
companies employed staff in the last quarter which
is quite a testament considering the pessimism in
the media about the economy. This would lend
credence to those commentators who believe that
there will be no wide-scale lay-offs and
unemployment even if the construction market
continues to contract. Employment in the broader
economy looks set to increase by 3% this year.
With the above in mind it is clear that there is
actual division among economist on the issue and
yet the anecdotal evidence would suggest that
the economy is still in rude good health:
* no mass migration of workers out of the country
* no major repossession of homes by the banks
* no Irish fall-out from the US sub-prime debacle
* employment continues to rise
* unemployment steady in the 4 to 4.3% range
While the low US dollar and continuing high
energy costs are definite threats to
competitiveness, it seems more likely that a
good economic performance in 2008 can still be
expected.
RYANAIR FOUNDER DIES AGED 71
The death has occurred of Tony Ryan at the age
of 71 years. The co-founder of Ryanair was a
native of Thurles in County Tipperary. After a
career in Aer Lingus and GPA he established
Ryanair in 1985 with flights from Waterford to
Gatwick. Within 3 years the company was on the
verge of collapse but the appointment of Michael
O'Leary and the acquisition of a new route to
fly from Dublin to London turned the
companies fortunes. Despite the failure of
the stock market flotation of GPA his great
success will always be remembered as Ryanair,
the airline which still bears his name.
LEARNER DRIVER RULES TO BE IMPLEMENTED IN 2008
The new rules which would have prevented learner
drivers from driving alone will be introduced in
June of 2008 and not this year as originally
planned. The current situation allows for learner
drivers who fail their driving test to simply
drive away from the test centre and apply again.
The government is seeking to restrict this
anomaly by insisting that learners drive in the
company of a fully qualified driver.
IRISH SOCCER MANAGER SACKED
The Football Association of Ireland has drawn a
line under the tenure of rookie manager Steve
Staunton when he was sacked after the dismal
home draw to Cyprus. The 1-1 draw in Croke Park
in the Euro 2008 qualifiers was greeted by boos
and derision from the huge crowd. Only 17 months
into a four year contract, Staunton continually
stated that this campaign was a building process
for the Irish team. Results however were pretty
abysmal with defeat in Cyprus and only a last
minute winner away to San Marino preventing a
disaster against the minnows of European football.
Failure to again beat the Cypriots in Dublin was
the final straw.
Voice your opinion on these news issues here:
https://www.ireland-information.com/newsletterboard/wwwboard.html
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NEW FREE RESOURCES AT THE SITE
==============================
FREE KIDS HALLOWEEN PICTURE TO PRINT AND COLOR
Get a free picture of Halloween in Ireland to color
as well as more great coloring pictures for kids:
https://www.ireland-information.com/freegames.htm
NEW COATS OF ARMS ADDED TO THE GALLERY:
The following 4 coats of arms images and family
history details have been added to the Gallery:
N: Nash
I: Innes, Ivers
R: Reidy
View the Gallery here:
http://www.irishsurnames.com/coatsofarms/gm.htm
THE PERFECT WEDDING, ANNIVERSARY OR BIRTHDAY GIFT!
We now have over 100,000 worldwide names available.
Get the Coat of Arms Print, Claddagh Ring,
Screensaver, Watch, T-Shirt Transfer or Clock for
your name at:
https://www.irishnation.com/familycrestgifts.htm
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IRISH HALLOWEEN TRADITIONS
==========================
The Celts celebrated Halloween as Samhain, 'All
Hallowtide' - the 'Feast of the Dead', when the
dead revisited the mortal world. The celebration
marked the end of Summer and the start of the
Winter months.
During the eighth century the Catholic Church
designated the first day of November as 'All
Saints Day' ('All Hallows') - a day of
commemoration for those Saints that did not have
a specific day of remembrance. The night before
was known as 'All Hallows Eve' which, over time,
became known as Halloween.
Here are the most notable Irish Halloween
Traditions:
Colcannon for Dinner: Boiled Potato, Curly Kale
(a cabbage) and raw Onions are provided as the
traditional Irish Halloween dinner. Clean coins
are wrapped in baking paper and placed in the
potato for children to find and keep.
The Barnbrack Cake: The traditional Halloween
cake in Ireland is the barnbrack which is a
fruit bread. Each member of the family gets a
slice. Great interest is taken in the outcome as
there is a piece of rag, a coin and a ring in
each cake. If you get the rag then your financial
future is doubtful. If you get the coin then you
can look forward to a prosperous year. Getting
the ring is a sure sign of impending romance
or continued happiness.
The Ivy Leaf: Each member of the family places a
perfect ivy leaf into a cup of water and it is
then left undisturbed overnight. If, in the
morning, a leaf is still perfect and has not
developed any spots then the person who placed the
leaf in the cup can be sure of 12 months health
until the following Halloween. If not.....
The Pumpkin: Carving Pumpkins dates back to the
eighteenth century and to an Irish blacksmith
named Jack who colluded with the Devil and was
denied entry to Heaven. He was condemned to
wander the earth but asked the Devil for some
light. He was given a burning coal ember which he
placed inside a turnip that he had gouged out.
Thus, the tradition of Jack O'Lanterns was born
- the bearer being the wandering blacksmith - a
damned soul. Villagers in Ireland hoped that the
lantern in their window would keep the wanderer
away. When the Irish emigrated in their millions
to America there was not a great supply of turnips
so pumpkins were used instead.
Halloween Costumes: On Halloween night children
would dress up in scary costumes and go house to
house. 'Help the Halloween Party' and 'Trick or
Treat' were the cries to be heard at each door.
This tradition of wearing costumes also dates back
to Celtic times. On the special night when the
living and the dead were at their closest the
Celtic Druids would dress up in elaborate costumes
to disguise themselves as spirits and devils in
case they encountered other devils and spirits
during the night. By disguising they hoped that
they would be able to avoid being carried away at
the end of the night. This explains why witches,
goblins and ghosts remain the most popular
choices for the costumes.
Snap Apple: After the visits to the neighbours the
Halloween games begin, the most popular of which
is Snap Apple. An apple is suspended from a string
and children are blindfolded. The first child to
get a decent bite of the apple gets to keep their
prize. The same game can be played by placing
apples in a basin of water and trying to get a
grip on the apple without too much mess!
The Bonfire: The Halloween bonfire is a tradition
to encourage dreams of who your future husband or
wife is going to be. The idea was to drop a
cutting of your hair into the burning embers and
then dream of you future loved one. Halloween was
one of the Celt 'fire' celebrations.
Blind Date: Blindfolded local girls would go out
into the fields and pull up the first cabbage they
could find. If their cabbage had a substantial
amount of earth attached to the roots then their
future loved one would have money. Eating the
cabbage would reveal the nature of their future
husband - bitter or sweet!
Another way of finding your future spouse is to
peel an apple in one go. If done successfully the
single apple peel could be dropped on the floor
to reveal the initials of the future-intended.
Anti-Fairy Measures: Fairies and goblins try to
collect as many souls as they can at Halloween but
if they met a person who threw the dust from under
their feet at the Fairy then they would be obliged
to release any souls that they held captive.
Holy water was sometimes anointed on farm animals
to keep them safe during the night. If the animals
were showing signs of ill health on All Hallows
Eve then they would be spat on to try to ward off
any evil spirits.
Happy Halloween from Ireland!
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YOU CAN HELP TO KEEP THIS FREE NEWSLETTER ALIVE!
Visit:
https://www.irishnation.com
where you can get great Irish gifts, prints,
claddagh jewellery, engraved glassware and
much more.
Anne MacDonald ordered a family crest plaque:
Hello, Michael,
Received my plaque, carefully wrapped,
in good order. It is splendid! I am
thrilled, and I know that my dad, for whose
81st birthday this was ordered, will love
it. I would like to order another one!
Everyone who has seen the plaque has been
really impressed, even those who, as my
daughter says are 'not into ancestor
worship!'
Again, my hearty thanks for this
first-class product.
Best wishes for happy holiday season.
Sincerely, Anne MacDonald
THE PERFECT WEDDING OR ANNIVERSARY GIFT!
View family crest plaques here:
https://www.irishnation.com/familycrestplaques.htm
=================================================
THE ROAD TO KNOWLEDGE by John B. McCabe
=====================
I can never recall with any accuracy my first day
at school because I made two beginnings. My
brother was two years older than me and he was
sent to school for the first time at the age of
six. I was sent along with him but then my
parents took pity on me because I was only four
and it was a mile walk to school. I was kept at
home until the following year and made a new
beginning then.
School itself was not such a wonderful experience
though I was bright enough to learn quickly and
was seldom punished. Being naturally fond of
company I delighted in the excitement of the
crowd but privately formed only a few special
friendships.
In spite of my ability to learn quickly it is
sad to recall that I never felt loved at
primary school and the prevailing mood of
those years was one of anxiety and nervousness
fear of being late, fear of being slapped,
shame at watching others being beaten.
The schoolmistress who taught me in the early
years was a good and conscientious young woman
who struggled heroically with too many children
clamouring for individual attention. The
schoolmaster was humane and philosophical and
I warmed to him a little better but never crossed
the bridge between servile respect and healthy
reverence where real learning is possible. There
was a hunger in me that was never filled in those
formative years. One or two small seeds did take
root where the cadence of words and rhythms from
early poems touched my ear for the first time but
it was a sparse and famished nourishment that
barely awoke the soul.
Scientists agree that the most difficult sense to
recall is the sense of smell. Even when we dream
we do so in visual and aural worlds but never in
olfactory dimensions. Yet when it comes to those
early school years it is a variety of smells and
tactile sensations which best evoke, for me, the
ambience and atmosphere of that time. The
distinctive smell and cloying touch of plasticine
finds me rolling out wriggly worms on a rough
bench to form bicycles, bird's nests, little
houses and a whole variety of clumsy models of
the world around me.
The fumbling grip of a tiny finger and thumb on
a morsel of chalk - the dry scratching on slate
announce my first wobbly alphabet. Cold water,
coal dust and sunlight soap in an enamelled
basin the ritual ablutions after lighting the
school fire. The aura of expectancy evoked in the
smell of new books and their promised discoveries,
marred inevitably by ink stains and sullied by
punishments earned or undeserved in the
explorations of grammar, spelling and
transcription. The musty aftermath of stale lunch
crumbs in canvas bags - the pungency of ammonia
fumes oozing from the dry-toilet walls. These and
a thousand other smells are forever remembrances
of school.
There was no wall-clock that I can recall and the
school day was measured as in some primeval age
by phases of change. Time did not seem to exist so
slowly did the hours drawl by. Morning prayers,
roll call, mid-morning break, the shock of sound
when the angelus rang from the nearby chapel,
lunch-time, afternoon break and finally the
excited exodus of home time. These were the
constant signposts along to road to knowledge.
Between these unchanging divisions of the day lay
the timeless routine of learning which followed a
monastic regularity: chanting of tables -
brow-furrowed puzzlement of sums - the finger
leading the eye from word to word along the
mysterious page.
There was so little colour in those books after
we left the infant classes that the mind grew
bland with boredom. My eyes hungered for some
stimulus to brighten the landscape of our drab
and desolate space. I still recall the primitive
abacus of coloured spools threaded on clothes-line
wire against the brown wainscoted wall - the vivid
pink of fresh plaster covering a hole in the
off-white ceiling - a deep green spray of painted
shamrocks and a cascade of fiery tongues lurking
among the dull pages of an early catechism.
Occasionally a little light would seep through a
chink in the armour of routine. A visiting
missionary would call with exotic tales of
malarious mosquitoes, witch doctors and cannibals
in dugout canoes. For a brief moment our minds
would glow in the warmth of imaginations fire,
bright as the equatorial sun. Rarer still a
travelling conjurer would visit and we could
purchase for a few pennies those happy mesmeric
moments when 'the swiftness of the hand would
steal a march on the eye'.
The most terrifyingly important moment of the year
was the annual catechism exam when we begged
mammy to 'put us over the answers' in the thin
dawn light before going in to school. The examiner
was a young priest, a gentle, warm and loving man
who offered half the answer with the question so
that we could act our answers from his prompting
phrases while we were centre-stage for this most
dramatic performance of the academic year.
Progress was measured by postings: firstly from
bench to bench and later from room to room. Moving
to the 'master's room' marked a definite
graduation which promised that sometime in the
unimaginable future it might be possible to earn
parole from this, to us, life-long learning
imprisonment.
Then there came a day shortly before I finished
my apprenticeship when the master opened a book
and read a poem in Irish called 'An Long' about
a ship which came to harbour after many exotic
adventures in far-away magical places. That's when
it happened. A door opened to a world of words.
Was it something in the timbre of emotion in the
master's voice or the look of longing in his tired
eyes when he savoured the sounds? I am sure he was
not aware of the impact he made on me at that
moment of epiphany but today I thank him for the
gift that was worth the waiting in those timeless
years.
John B. Mc Cabe
~~~
You can read some more stories by John here:
Getting Connected
https://www.ireland-information.com/aug03.htm
A Letter from America
https://www.ireland-information.com/jun03.htm
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Visit:
https://www.irishnation.com
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FEEDBACK ON 'THE IRISH IN THE US CIVIL WAR'
===========================================
FREIDA MCANINCH:
Your article on Irish-Americans serving in the
American Civil War was most interesting, but
only gave one side of history. My Irish ancestors,
the five Scally brothers of Tippah County, MS,
fought, were wounded, and in two cases, died in
service to the CSA. My great-great grandfather,
William Hull Scally, served in the 32nd
Mississippi Inf., Co E (The Hatchie Tigers) which
was formed and commanded by his brother Capt.
John Scally. William was seriously wounded at
the Battle of Chickamauga and saw his brother
John shot from his horse and killed during the
battle. John had previously served in the Battle
of Bull Run in Manassas, VA and been wounded.
After his enlistment was up, he re-enlisted and
served until his death. A third brother, James
Scally, was held prisoner in a northern prison
camp for 9 months. Upon his exchange, he was
hospitalized, then badly wounded at the Battle
of the Wilderness. George Scally simply
disappeared on his way home to MS after being
discharged as to ill with pneumonia for military
service, probably succumbing to the illness
before he reached home. Henry Scally was only
16 when he enlisted and was wounded at the Battle
of Franklin, TN. He spent the rest of the war
in a northern prison camp.
Two deaths - four wounded - two in prisoner of
war camps. No major political figures here, no
names remembered in history,just Mississippi
dirt farmers with Irish courage and fighting
spirit on the other side of the coin (taken from:
Irish Confederates: The Civil War's Forgotten
Soldiers by Phillip T. Tucker.)
Great-great grandfather and great-great uncles
I salute you and hope to honor you with these
words!
TOM O'BRIEN:
I just finished reading 'The Southern Irish in
the Civil War' by David Donehoo which appeared in
the September newsletter. I found it very
interesting by virtue of the author's view of who
is Irish. He states that most of the Irish of the
South at the time of the U.S. Civil War were
Scot-Irish, (the term used to describe that group
here in the U.S. is Scotch-Irish). I agree, but
since the 'troubles' in NI, most people of
Scotch-Irish descent will go out of their way to
tell you that they are 'Irish' merely because their
Scottish ancestors settled in what is today NI. In
Northern Ireland today I believe that most
Protestants consider themselves British, and not
Irish in every sense of the word, be it culture or
language or even religion. So it was interesting
to read Mr. Donehoo's comment about the Irish of
the South in the U.S. prior to our Civil War.
He must be in a minority in his feelings that he
is of Irish descent among Protestants who are
actually descended from Scotch-Irish ancestors.
THOMAS MCDONALD:
I have for the last few years read your
newsletter and enjoyed it very much.
I read this months letter with Mr. McManus'
article on the Irish in the Civil War. Anytime
there is an article about the Irish who took
part in the war I read it with interest. I was
surprised however with some of things it noted
that were contradictory to published and
documented history.
The first was Meagher, it would have been nice if
he did receive the MOH but alas he didn't, several
of his men did and many who were in the Brigade
served nobly. He left the Irish Brigade due to not
being able to further recruit before Gettysburg.
Reynolds and Shaw (54th Mass) were indeed from
Irish Protestant ancestry which most don't know
however Shaw also didn't receive to MOH, but by
leading his men to his death, he set a special
example. McPherson was also a great example too,
but note the were many more like Cleburne,
Sheridan, Smyth, Sweeny and Father Corby. The
story of the Irish in the Civil War isn't just an
article or even a simple book but volumes on how
a group of people proved by sacrifice they were
more than worthy of being Americans.
MAUREEN HAWKINS:
I just read Mr. Ed McManus' article on the Irish
in the American Civil War. He seems to have
overlooked the fact that many Irish fought
on the Confederate side - some apparently because
they approved of slavery (yes, some of our
ancestors were racist - during the 1840s and
1850s, the Irish in Ireland and America were
frequently treated more poorly than Black slaves,
and some reacted by denigrating Blacks, asserting
Irish superiority over Blacks, and supporting
slavery, though others sympathetically saw
parallels between their situation and that of the
Blacks. Others backed the Confederacy because they
saw Federal interference with States' rights as a
form of imperialism such as Britain exercised over
Ireland. For whatever reason, it is estimated that
as many Irish fought on the side of the Confederacy
as on the side of the Union.
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AN AUSTRALIANS VISIT TO IRELAND by Patricia Sailor
===============================
I have just visited Ireland with 2 other Aussie
girls (well I use the term girls, even though our
brains are only 30, our bodies are twice that age,
and a wee bit more!!)
We absolutely loved the friendliness of the Irish
people and the beauty of the countryside took our
breath away. When Johnny Cash sang 'Forty shades
of Green' he was spot on the money. My ancestors
came to Australia from County Clare in 1864, so
I have dreamed all my life of going to the place
of their birth and walking the soil where they
once walked.
We had the most wonderful time in Lisdoonvarna,
staying at the Sleepzone Hostel. And of course we
visited every pub in that quaint little Town, just
to listen to the great Irish/Country Music. The
match-making Festival was on and the Town was
buzzing with excitement. We made so many friends
and had a wonderful time. Some of the local
accents were so strong, we didn't quite understand
the people a lot of the time, but we just kept
smiling and saying 'yes'!! My friends told me
later that I had accepted 20 marriage proposals
Ha! ha!
I would gladly spend the rest of my days there in
that dreamy little Town. We visited the Cliffs of
Moher. What can one say about the magnificence of
this place? I just stood in awe at the scenery all
around me. Walked till I just about dropped. My
body was screaming for mercy by this stage but I
kept plodding on. I didn't care if I took my last
breath on Earth at this wonderful place.
We are all planning to come back again. We had
never been on an overseas holiday before, so we
were like a pack of school-girls let loose on the
Planet. It was so wonderful to get out in the
countryside and breathe the air and meet the
most easy-going, friendly people, who seem to live
in a wonderful, contented world where life has
stood still for the past 50 years...
Wonderful memories to dwell on everyday.
Patricia Sailor
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YOU CAN HELP TO KEEP THIS FREE NEWSLETTER ALIVE!
Visit https://www.irishnation.com
where you can get great Irish gifts, prints,
claddagh jewellery, engraved glassware and
much more.
Wendy Walker of Columbia, Missouri got a
family crest signet ring with the Donnelly family
crest engraved on it for her son
Michael,
I received by registered mail today the ring I
ordered for my son with the Donnelly family crest.
I am very impressed and thrilled with the ring.
It is beautiful and the service I received
throughout the whole process of ordering and
receiving this unique gift has been superb. Thank
you for all your assistance and prompt responses
to my questions.
I will most certainly order other items from you
and will highly recommend you.
Thank you
Wendy Walker
THE PERFECT WEDDING, ANNIVERSARY OR BIRTHDAY GIFT!
See here for family crest gifts:
Visit:
https://www.irishnation.com/familycrestgifts.htm
=================================================
GUINNESS IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY by Bill Yenne
====================================
By the beginning of the twenty-first century, two
billion pints of Guinness were being poured
annually in more than 150 countries around the
world. According to the industry newsletter,
Impact: Global News and Research for the Drinks
Executive, Guinness Stout is the seventeenth
largest selling beer brand in the world, and by
far the best-selling beer brand that is not a
pale yellow lager.
Ireland and the United Kingdom remain the largest
markets in the world for Guinness, with Nigeria
in third place. In fourth place, the United States
is the fastest growing Guinness market. According
to Jonathan Waldron, the Dublin-based Guinness
Draught marketing manager, 'Our top four markets
explain 95 percent of our volume.'
Though no longer the largest in the world, the
Guinness Brewery at St. James's Gate remains the
largest in Ireland - and the largest stout brewery
in the world - with a capacity of 6.5 million
barrels. After 69 years, the huge Guinness brewery
at Park Royal was closed in 2005. It had once been
Guinness's largest brewery, but as production at the
site declined, the company decided to close it, and
to concentrate stout production for the United
Kingdom and Ireland - as well as for the United
States - at the birthplace of Guinness in
St. James's Gate.
In Ireland, the company also has an additional 1.5
million barrel capacity in Dundalk, as well as 1.2
million barrels at Kilkenny. At Waterford, the
former Cherry's Brewery has been upgraded to a
state-of-the-art special ingredient plant to
produce Guinness Flavor Extract for export to the
50 countries where Guinness is brewed, either under
license or at brewing companies in which Guinness
is a partner.
Overseas, the company still owns a share in
Malaysia's Guinness Anchor Berhad and it operates
10 breweries in six African countries, including
Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Kenya, Uganda, and the
Seychelles. Africa is a key market for Guinness.
Indeed, Africans drink more than one third of all
the Guinness in the world.
Today, as much as ever, St. James's Gate is the
center of gravity, not only for Guinness, but for
its fans and devotees. Guinness aficionados who
have made the pilgrimage to St. James's Gate since
the turn of the century have been welcomed at the
Guinness Storehouse, the brewery's new visitor
center. The Storehouse is the successor to the
Guinness Hop Store that served as the visitor
center from 1988 to 2000. When the Storehouse
opened, the Hop Store was sold to the Digital Hub,
an Irish Government initiative to 'create an
international center of excellence for knowledge,
innovation and creativity focused on digital
content and technology enterprises.'
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This article is continued in the online
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Just as the previous visitor center had served for hop storage, the massive Storehouse was once part of the process of producing stout. Built to house fermentation vessels and opened in 1904, the 125-foot-high, red brick building once contained the largest fermentation vessel in the world. Updated and expanded in the 1950s, the Storehouse was superseded in the 1980s by a newer facility across James's Street to the north. It reopened in its new incarnation in December 2000. As the Hop Store before it, the Storehouse contains a myriad of exhibits relating to the history and folklore of the beer, the brand and the brewery. It also houses the Guinness Archives. The Guinness Storehouse now has the distinction of being Ireland's number one visitor attraction, with three million visitors in its first five years. It is topped with the Guinness Gravity Bar, which is the highest point in Dublin. Constituting the seventh floor of the Storehouse, the Gravity Bar is a nice place to enjoy a pint, while also enjoying a 360-degree view of Dublin itself. When those people who are enjoying their pints at the Gravity Bar -- or at the 150 or so Dublin pubs visible from the Gravity Bar -- or in the 150 countries across the horizon -- what pints are they enjoying? Jonathan Waldron explained, as we sat in the Brewery Bar one floor down from the Gravity Bar, that Guinness thinks in terms of a lead variant in each of its markets. "Our approach to date has been that there is a lead variant in each market. In Ireland, the United Kingdom and North America, the lead variant would be Guinness Draught by a margin of about 75 to 80 percent," he said. "In Ireland, Guinness Extra Stout is drunk by an older population, including people who began drinking Guinness when Guinness was only Extra Stout. That is evolving a little bit as we see, for example, that younger consumers might like to enjoy Guinness Extra Stout with certain meals, such as with fish. They find the bite of the carbonation, plus the deeper tone, as a good balance with fish." Waldron observed that in Ireland, Guinness has been so ingrained in the culture for so many years, that it presents an interesting marketing challenge. This challenge is to market a beer to younger people who may perceive it as being their "father's beer." As he explains, "We will always strive to maintain a contemporary association with the brand in Ireland because everybody's father did drink it. On the other hand, in the United States, the average stout drinker tends to be younger and more highly educated than the average beer drinker because Guinness is perceived as a premium beer." In the United States, the huge increase in attention to microbreweries has been a great boon for Guinness because they have revitalized interest in complexity and rich flavor in beer. As Waldron puts it: "The craft brew segment of the American market is great for Guinness in that those kinds of beers are drunk by people who are looking for a taste experience. We can certainly offer people a taste experience! There are some great beers out there, and the more popular they become, it's only going to help Guinness." In most of the rest of the world, Waldron says that Foreign Extra Stout is by far the lead variant: "In Japan, we've only ever had Guinness Draught, but elsewhere in the Far East, where our big markets are Malaysia and Indonesia, the lead variant has always been Foreign Extra Stout, as it is across Africa. In North America, we see an interesting thing, which is that people in the Afro-Caribbean demographic favor Guinness Extra Stout. In the Caribbean, the lead variant is Foreign Extra Stout, which is unavailable in the United States, so they are getting close to that with Guinness Extra Stout." Noting that Guinness sees the Foreign Extra Stout world as a potential growth area for Guinness Draught, he said that, "We're experimenting with launching draught in Asian markets. Guinness Draught has long been available in Hong Kong, and it is gradually becoming more available in upscale bars in some major Chinese cities. We have a draught presence in hotels and leading bars, but if we want to expand our business, we have to go for the man in the street. We've found that, whereas the older generation may be happy with the bite and the bitterness of Foreign Extra Stout, the younger generation has grown up with a sweeter palate, so Guinness Draught is a much more appealing product for them." The fact that Nigeria is the third largest market for Guinness after the United Kingdom and Ireland underscores the importance of Foreign Extra Stout among the variants. On the other hand, the fact that the United States is the fastest growing market is important for the draught products. "In time, I hope that the U.S. market will become the largest," Waldron said. "It's such a huge market. There is an established 'taste beer' segment, which has grown in recent years. Canada is a reasonably good market, but it is a much smaller market than the United Stares. In Europe, Germany is the largest but France, Italy and Spain are close behind. In Russia, Heineken brews Foreign Extra Stout under license from us. Copyright C 2007 Bill Yenne. All rights reserved. Bill Yenne has been writing extensively about beer and brewing history for two decades and has discussed these subjects as a featured guest on the History Channel. He is the author of more than forty books on a variety of historical topics, and a member of the American Society of Journalists & Authors. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.; September 2007;$24.95US/$29.99CAN; 978-0-470-12052-1 Order this Book from Here 
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