The social history of St James's Gate brewery and the contribution made by the Guinness company to the welfare of its staff and the wider community are discussed in a book published in Dublin last night.
The Goodness of Guinness: The Brewery, its People and the City of Dublin by Tony Corcoran, a Guinness employee for 38 years, was launched in the Liberties College.
The title is as much a testament to the good work of the company as to the quality of the stout.
Finbar Flood, former managing director of Guinness and chairman of the Labour Court, wrote the foreword and launched the book yesterday, the feastday of St James.
Mr Flood said: "This is a timely book. People forget what it was like before the Celtic Tiger . . . Guinness's had a social concern. Multinationals today have very little loyalty to their employees and the community."
Alan Dukes, former Fine Gael leader and the author's brother-in-law, was among the guests. "I know the story of Guinness's history from my wife [ Fionnuala], who also worked for Guinness. My wife was moved that he dedicated the book to their mother," Mr Dukes said.
"My mother's name McEnnis, translates to Guinness. So in a sense, I am a Guinness," joked Mr Corcoran.
Mr Corcoran's book was published by the Liberties Press.
"We believe in one drink, Guinness the almighty. Makers of cans and beer. Of all that is drunk and un-drunk. We believe in one brewer - Arthur, the only son of Guinness," Mr Corcoran read from an anonymous e-mail received by the Lord Mayor's office recently.