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Writing a book about the Guinnesses brought to light many stories about a family that has had a huge impact on Irish – and British – life, writes JOE JOYCE

FOR A FAMILY who created one of the world’s great brands and gave their name to it, the Guinnesses are curiously unknown. Certainly, everybody knows Arthur Guinness, whose signature adorns every bottle and can of his stout. Most people know something about another Guinness or two, be they conservationists, models or designers, and about the family “curse” which supposedly leads rich heirs and heiresses into tragedy or scandal. A headline this week was typical: “Guinness heiress denies stripping down to G-string on flight.”