The Irish people owe the Guinness's so much, for protecting our heritage

That German princess speaks the most amazing English.

Here is a bit more information about Mariga Guinness especially.Guinness, Mariga (1932–89), architectural conservationist and socialite, was born Hermione Maria-Gabrielle von Urach on 21 September 1932 in London, the only daughter of Albrecht von Urach (d. 1969), a member of the royal house of Wurtemberg from Schloss-Liechtenstein in southern Germany, and Rosemary Blackadder (d. 1975) from Berwick-upon-Tweed. She was gravely ill for the first few months, but had recovered when in 1934 her parents moved to Venice to work as journalists and then to Japan, where Albrecht worked for the German government. Her mother disliked Japan and became depressed. In 1937 Gabrielle (as she was known until 1950) was with her mother when she attempted to gain uninvited access to Emperor Hirohito's palace. Her mother was arrested, sedated, and deported, leading her condition to spiral into insanity (in 1941 she had a lobotomy). She spent the rest of her life in various private mental institutions and was unable to care for her daughter. Gabrielle was returned to Europe by her father, and was raised there by her godmother, Hermione Ramsden. They lived in Surrey and Norway, where she was educated by as many as seventeen governesses and, briefly, at two boarding schools.

In 1951 she met Desmond Guinness, son of Bryan Guinness (qv) and Diana Mitford. They married (1954) in Oxford. In 1955 they moved to Ireland, renting Carton House, near Maynooth, Co. Kildare. They had two children, Patrick (b. 1956) and Marina (b. 1957). In 1958 a shared love of Georgian architecture prompted them to purchase Leixlip Castle and reestablish the Irish Georgian Society. They campaigned for the protection and restoration of many architectural treasures: the Conolly Folly, Dromana Gateway, Mountjoy Square, and the Tailor's Hall. Most ambitiously, they bought (1967) Castletown House, Co. Kildare, with the intention of protecting it and creating a centre for the Irish Georgian Society.

Throughout the 1960s Leixlip Castle was a mecca not only for those interested in architecture, but for European socialites. Mariga was an exotic and sometimes glamorous hostess. By 1969, however, their marriage was in decline. She left for London and then Glenarm, Co. Antrim, to be with Hugh O'Neill (qv), later Lord Rathcavan. Desmond began a relationship with Penny Cuthbertson, whom he later married. When Mariga's liaison with O'Neill ended she again lived in Leixlip Castle for a time, but her marriage was over. A divorce settlement was finally concluded in 1981. Following a period in London, she rented Tullynisk House, near Birr, Co. Offaly, in 1983. By then she was no longer at the centre of restoration activity, and her last years were increasingly characterised by loneliness and heavy drinking. She died 8 May 1989 while returning to Ireland from Wales on board a ferry. A massive heart attack was complicated by an injection of penicillin, to which she was allergic. She was buried at the site of her first restoration triumph, the Conolly Folly, near Castletown House, Co. Kildare.

Yes, these two are amazing. How lucky for us! Now we must go see their grand houses!

Amazing couple. Inspiring and selfless. Thank's to both of them, from the future.

The rich are different.  It’s so true still.  A lovely documentary.

Imagine trying to get on with your weekend and flipping Whicker turns up in his drip-dry moustache and Terylene spectacles making snide remarks about your architraves and Germans

Desmond and mariga❤

Thanks

Sold it off o no😮  history

🥰

Wow. That thick Oirish accent, can't tell a fuckin' word he's saying.

21:16 mason gestures

Honorable.   Not recognised  in the Republic  of Ireland.

There's nothing more the poor need more, than an obelisk.

The name "Guinness" is a corruption of the Gaelic name Mag Aonghusa (Son of Angus).

Although their origins are Irish, they adopted Protestantism (Church of Ireland).

Irish  astates some times are empty and the guinness family move on to another astate so poor irish could live there which would be great

disagree  Alan Whicker, you pompous prat - we have no programmes with such narratives now, instead we have illiterate gogglebox

Whicker has a very disdainful view of anything outside the millionaire bubble.

Oh who cares about Jackie Kennedy, a non entity who preyed upon rich men.  Very interesting but done mostly for TAX reasons.   Historic preservation **TAX DODGES***are the oldest game in town for the rich, everywhere!