Welcome to The Court Yard Hotel

1752

When Archbishop Price died in 1752 he left one hundred pounds, quite a sum then, to his servant, Richard Guinness and a similar amount to Richard's son, Arthur, who was then aged 27.

1756

In 1756, when Arthur was 31, he established a brewery on Main Street, Leixlip. The lease for the property dates from 13th September 1756 and this original lease for the site is displayed beside the main reception in the hotel with the signature of Arthur Guinness clearly visible at the bottom of the lease.

1759

Three years later, Arthur then aged 34 left his younger brother, Richard, in charge of the Leixlip Brewery and bought an existing, but run down brewery at St. James Gate in Dublin. It was there he established the world famous company. The start of the Guinness business is always taken as being 1759, the date of this move. He lived on the Gate premises for a while and brewed all types of beer including dark beer known as porters ale or porter. The colour was obtained by including in the mash, with the ordinary pale malt, a proportion of malt that was roasted until virtually black.

1803

Arthur died in 1803, aged 78, and was buried at Oughterard Cemetery near Kill, a mere 20 minute drive from the Court Yard Hotel. It is also the resting place of his wife, Olivia, who bore him 21 children following their marriage in 1761.

1958

The Guinness family link with Leixlip was re-ignited in 1958, when the Hon. Desmond Guinness (1931-2020), then aged 27, the same age as Arthur when he got his inheritance, bought Leixlip Castle. Up until 2020, Hon. Desmond Guinness resided in Leixlip Castle with his wife Penny. The Castle can still be seen from the bedrooms in the hotel.

2005

With the approval of Hon. Desmond Guinness, the hotel opened its doors in June 2005 and once again Guinness was back where it all began with a very modern version of Arthurs porter now begin sold in Arthurs Bar. At the Official Launch of the hotel on the 8th November 2005, the Hon Desmond Guinness unveiled a plaque that states the hotel is on the original site of Guinness. This plaque is displayed proudly over the fireplace in the main reception of the hotel.