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What is House of Guinness about?
The story begins in Dublin on the day of Sir Benjamin Guinness’s funeral. His will sets the brewery’s future and the relationships among his children in motion. Netflix’s synopsis also places the saga in New York, while its episode descriptions focus on family and business developments in and around Dublin.
The season’s central tension is not simply whether the brewery will succeed. It is how the family navigates succession, expansion, political identity and personal loyalties while its future is being decided. The series also follows people who work with and around the brewery, widening the story beyond the Guinness family.
Who is in the cast?
| Character | Actor |
|---|---|
| Arthur Guinness | Anthony Boyle |
| Edward Guinness | Louis Partridge |
| Anne Guinness | Emily Fairn |
| Benjamin Guinness | Fionn O’Shea |
The wider cast includes Jack Gleeson, Niamh McCormack, Danielle Galligan, Ann Skelly, Seamus O’Hara and Michael McElhatton. Steven Knight created the series.
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Season 1 episode guide
The following guide follows Netflix’s episode descriptions and avoids revealing the finale’s unresolved outcome.
- Episode 1: The story opens on the day of Sir Benjamin’s funeral.
- Episode 2: The children learn how their father’s will divides his legacy unequally.
- Episode 3: Anne takes a carriage ride, Arthur makes a proposal, Edward makes changes at the brewery, and Benjamin pursues an independent path.
- Episode 4: A wedding and a plan to expand the brewery shape the family’s next moves.
- Episode 5: Arthur faces a political crisis.
- Episode 6: The story moves to Cloonboo as Edward’s personal life comes into focus.
- Episode 7: Social housing enters the story, and the brothers decide to put the brewery first.
- Episode 8: Election day brings the season to a close, with Arthur’s fate left uncertain.
Is House of Guinness based on a true story?
It draws on real people and historical context, but it is a drama, not a scene-by-scene account of verified events. The series uses the family’s succession struggle and the political divisions of 19th-century Ireland as the setting for invented plotting as well as historical figures.
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What the historical context establishes
TIME reports that the Guinness family was Protestant and politically aligned with keeping Ireland part of Britain. Steven Knight described Sir Benjamin as a Tory MP who consistently supported Ireland remaining within the United Kingdom. That position existed amid Irish nationalist opposition to British rule, including the Fenian movement.
The Fenians were Irish revolutionaries who sought to end British rule. Their presence in the series is not just period atmosphere: it provides a political counterpoint to the Guinness family’s loyalties and the brewery’s interests. The show’s character Ellen represents that milieu.
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What the series invents or leaves unresolved
TIME reports that there is no evidence for Edward’s romance with Ellen; Knight has said he invented it. It should be understood as fictional plotting, not established Guinness family history.
The finale leaves Arthur’s survival uncertain. TIME reports that the real Arthur survived the attempted violence, represented brewery interests in Parliament for a year, and died in 1915. The show’s cliffhanger is therefore a dramatic question, not an uncertainty about what happened to the historical Arthur.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where and how can you watch it?
House of Guinness is listed on Netflix as a 2025 drama with eight episodes. Netflix classifies it as a period piece and political TV show. Audio, subtitle, download and plan options can differ by country and may change, so check the listing in your own market for current availability.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Who created House of Guinness?
Steven Knight created the series.
How many episodes are in Season 1?
Season 1 has eight episodes.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.




