The Irish Georgian Society, in partnership with the Office of Public Works and the Guinness family, presents a day to celebrate and commemorate Desmond Guinness’s legacy in promoting and protecting Ireland’s architecture and allied arts. Themes explored will include Desmond’s work in advocating for the protection of the Irish country house; campaigning to save Georgian Dublin; fostering research and publications on Ireland’s architecture and decorative arts; and his work overseas as an unofficial ambassador for Ireland’s cultural heritage, where he raised vital funds and forged relationships with benefactors in the UK and USA, which continue to this day through the Irish Georgian Society, which he co-founded with his first wife, Mariga Guinness.

Speakers and chairs include Donough Cahill, Rosemary Collier, Professor Christine Casey, Marion Cashman, Máirtín D’Alton, Sir David Davies, Dr John Goodall, Patrick Guinness, Dr Erika Hanna, Dr Conor Lucey, Mary Heffernan, Dr Edward McParland,  Christopher Moore, Jeremy Musson, Robert O’Byrne, Dr Ciarán Reilly and Sir Humphry Wakefield. The Society wishes to thank the Guinness Family and the Office of Public Works for partnering,
and Robert O’Byrne for convening and programming this special celebratory day.

Celebrating Desmond Guinness is an action of the Irish Georgian Society’s Conservation Education Programme which is overseen by Emmeline Henderson, IGS Assistant Director and Conservation Manager. The Society wishes to gratefully acknowledge the support of the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for providing annual grant aid for the Society’s Conservation Education Programme, and The Heritage Council for their support of the Society’s work through the Community Heritage Grant Scheme 2023. The Society thanks Ecclesiastical Insurance for their generous sponsorship of this event.