December 03, 2003

I thought the greatest Irishperson...

...was Arthur Guinness? Vote here (link via Mark of Irish Elk, natch).

From the Guinness website:
Arthur founded a dynasty that controlled the Brewery for 227 years. He himself did his bit for posterity by fathering 21 children, although only ten survived. His descendants showed themselves to be equally prolific, ensuring a steady supply of candidates for the top job, all of whom shared his philanthropy, energy and longevity.

Many a girl was advised by her mother to find herself a GUINNESS® man - and by that she didn't just mean a man who liked to drink it.


Arthur and his successors set wages at 10-20% above the local average, guaranteed widow's pensions, gave paid vacations (unheard of, then), provided free medical care, homes, education and a host of other benefits, making a brewery worker quite a catch.The workers received free GUINNESS® stout every day, and in the unlikely event that they didn't want to drink it, they could opt instead to receive an additional "beer allowance" in their pay packet.

In other words, they were paid well to make a drink they were given to drink and also paid well not to drink the drink they'd already been well paid to make. Brilliant.

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