Screening: Saving Our Heritage: The Irish Georgian Society
Friday, March 12, 2010, 7:00 - 8:30 PM
Henry Auditorium
$5.00 Henry Members and Students >> $12.00 General Admission.
Tickets available at Brown Paper Tickets:
http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/99246
Join us for an evening with the Rt. Hon. Desmond Guinness, Irish author on Georgian art and architecture and a conservationist, and president of the Irish Georgian Society.
Mr. Guinness will present a lecture and a special screening of a 50 minute documentary filmed on location at his home, Leixlip Castle and in Dublin at the Tailor’s Hall, 13 Henrietta Street, Mountjoy Square, 20 Dominick Street and around the country at Castletown, Co. Kildare, Doneraile Court, Co. Cork, Damer House, Roscrea, Co. Tipperary, Roundwood, Co. Laois and Riverstown, Co. Cork, all saved by the Irish Georgian Society. Today the Society continues this work with the support and generosity of its members in Ireland, England and America and this year celebrates its 50th anniversary.
Born September 8, 1931, Desmond is the great-great-great-great grandson of Arthur Guinness who founded Guinness Brewery over 250 years ago. He is also the second son of Lord Moyne, the author and brewer, and Diana Mitford, one of the controversial Mitford sisters.
Educated at Eton, Gordonstoun and Christ Church, Oxford, Desmond bought Leixlip Castle in Co. Kildare in 1958 and that same year, with his first wife, Mariga, founded the Irish Georgian Society to help to preserve Irish architecture of all periods. His conservation work has been recognized by many American and English cultural groups, and in 1980 he was made an honorary Doctor of Laws at Trinity College Dublin.
In 2006 he was presented with a Europa Nostra award by the Queen of Spain. His many publications include Georgian Dublin; Irish Houses and Castles; The White House, An Architectural History; and his most recent publication Dublin – A Grand Tour.
Desmond still lives at Leixlip Castle in Co. Kildare and this will be his first visit to Seattle. While in Seattle, Desmond will act as The Grand Marshal of Seattle’s 2010 St. Patrick’s Day parade and other events during Irish Week, produced by the Irish Heritage Club.