(An Irish language version of this article can be read here.)

IS “HOUSE OF Guinness” the Netflix drama with the most extensive usage of the Irish language ever?

The soundtrack features bilingual songs by Kneecap and some of the characters speak Irish – and, for the first time ever, this drama is available with Irish subtitles on the streaming platform.

House of Guinness, which premiered today on Netflix, has been one of the most anticipated series on the streaming platform and tells the story of the rise of the brewing company after brothers Edward and Arthur Guinness came to power in the late 19th century.  

In a statement, Netflix confirmed House of Guinness was the first series to feature Irish language subtitles on the streaming platform. 

Steven Knight, creator of House of Guinness, said he was really pleased the series was coming to audiences with Irish subtitles. 

The Irish language is such a vital part of the country’s culture and identity, and making the series accessible in this way allows us to celebrate that heritage and reach those viewers who prefer to watch As Gaeilge.

Viewers can choose Irish from a wide range of languages ​​including Spanish, Basque, Russian and Hebrew.

There is currently no other drama on Netflix with a choice of Irish subtitles and it remains to be seen whether other series will follow the example set by House of Guinness’s London-based production company Kudos, which has successfully produced series such as SAS Rogue Heroes, Then You Run, Tin Star and Grantchester in the past.

Star-studded cast

In House of Guinness, an uprising is brewing in Dublin among the capital’s poorest citizens and memories of the Great Famine are still fresh, and some of that unrest is directed at the Guinness family, a wealthy Protestant unionist family.

The drama begins with the death of Benjamin Guinness and his decision to leave his business in a will between his two sons, Edward and Arthur.

The drama opens with Benjamin Guinness’s funeral procession travelling from the morgue to St Patrick’s Cathedral in the city and attacking crowds, incited by the Fenians (the Irish Republican Brotherhood). The music of Kneecap can be heard alongside tracks from Fontaines DC.

Among the actors involved are Louis Partridge in the role of Edward Guinness and Anthony Boyle as Arthur. Other Irish cast members include Dervla Kirwan and Fionn O’Shea.

James Norton plays Rafferty in the new Netflix drama, House of Guinness.

Among the famous international actors involved in the series is James Norton from England who achieved fame with his role in the likes of Happy Valley. No Irish is heard from his mouth, although he has made some effort to make the capital’s dialect his own.

Irish is spoken by various characters in the rural Irish community when one of the main characters, Anne Plunkett (née Guinness), goes on a visit to a friend’s house in the countryside. She falls ill and is helped by a woman, perhaps a wise woman, who speaks Irish to the crowd that is trying to attack Anne Plunkett.

A surprising feature of House of Guinness, however, is that Irish subtitles are available on the series on the Netflix streaming platform. Viewers can choose Irish from a wide range of languages ​​including Spanish, Basque, Russian and Hebrew.

There is currently no other drama on Netflix with a choice of Irish subtitles and it remains to be seen whether other series will follow the example set by the London-based production company Kudos, which has successfully produced series such as SAS Rogue Heroes, Then You Run, Tin Star and Grantchester in the past.

House of Guinness will certainly strengthen the relationship between the black ale and the country’s native language, a connection that was at its peak in the 1970s when the ‘The Island’ advert with the battle cry ‘Tá siad ag teacht/They are coming’ became one of the most iconic television adverts of its time.

The Journal’s Gaeltacht initiative is supported by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme