Desmond Guinness

Desmond Guinness
Desmond Guinness
Born	8 September 1931 (age 95); Anglo-Irish
Died	20 August 2020 (aged 88)
Occupation(s)	Writer, architectural conservationist
Known for	Founding member of the Irish Georgian Society, preservation of Georgian architecture
Notable work	Portrait of Dublin, Georgian Dublin, Mr Jefferson, architect, Palladio: A Western Progress, Newport preserv'd: architecture of the 18th century, Irish Houses and Castles, The White House: An Architectural History, Dublin – A Grand Tour, Great Irish Houses and Castles

Desmond Walter Guinness (8 September 1931 – 20 August 2020) was an Anglo-Irish writer with a focus on Georgian art and architectural heritage, a dedicated preservation advocate, and a founding member of the Irish Georgian Society. He was the second-born son of the author and brewer Bryan Guinness, 2nd Baron Moyne and Diana Mitford.

In 1958, Guinness acquired Leixlip Castle in Leixlip, County Kildare, Ireland, which became his home first with his initial wife, Princess Henriette Marie-Gabrielle von Urach ("Mariga"), and subsequently with his second spouse, Penelope Cuthbertson, whom he wed in 1984.

Early life and marriage

Desmond Guinness was born on 8 September 1931 as the younger son of Bryan Guinness and Diana Mitford; his older brother was Jonathan Guinness, 3rd Baron Moyne. Bryan inherited the title of 2nd Baron Moyne in 1944. After his parents separated, his mother remarried British fascist leader Oswald Mosley in 1936. Due to her political affiliations, the family came under government surveillance starting in 1935. Mitford was detained in 1940; Guinness later recounted visiting her at Holloway Prison when he was ten years old.

He received his education at Eton College, followed by Gordonstoun, and then Christ Church, Oxford, where he studied French and Italian. After completing National Service, he moved to his father’s estate near Dublin. His mother also settled in Ireland alongside Mosley.

In 1954, Guinness married Mariga von Urach, daughter of Fürst Albrecht von Urach and granddaughter of King Mindaugas II. Four years later, in 1958, he invested approximately £15,500—around one-third of his total wealth—to purchase Leixlip Castle along with its remaining 180 acres of farmland, making it their family residence.

Mariga relocated alone to London in 1969, later lived in County Antrim, and eventually returned to Leixlip Castle. The couple divorced in 1980; Mariga passed away several years afterward.

Irish Georgian Society

Together, Desmond and Mariga Guinness established the Irish Georgian Society in April 1958 with the mission to protect Irish architectural heritage spanning various eras, anticipating the introduction of planning legislation in 1963.

The IGS undertook numerous conservation initiatives and issued quarterly newsletters. Initial preservation efforts focused on Damer House (County Tipperary), The Conolly Folly (County Kildare), Mountjoy Square, Tailors' Hall, Hume Street (Dublin), and the Dromana Gateway (County Waterford).

Additionally, the society revived Georgian-era cricket matches played according to the original 1744 rules.

From 1967 through 1979, the Guinnesses purchased and commenced restoration of Castletown House in Celbridge, Kildare, regarded as Ireland’s premier Palladian mansion.

Other philanthropic and social activities

Guinness participated actively in several Irish institutions including the Iveagh Trust, CKAS, RIAC, and the Kildare Street & University Club.

Later life

In 1984, he married Penelope Cuthbertson, granddaughter of artist Nico Wilhelm Jungmann and daughter of socialite Teresa Jungman.

In his later years, he founded an architecture scholarship and held the position of Master of Foxhounds for the North Kildare Harriers. Guinness resigned as President of the IGS in 1990.

He passed away on 20 August 2020 at the age of 88.

Family

Desmond Guinness was the father of two children: a son named Patrick Desmond Carl-Alexander and a daughter named Marina. Through his son Patrick, he became the grandfather of fashion model Jasmine Guinness. Marina is actively involved in supporting the arts and has championed Irish musicians such as Glen Hansard, Damien Rice, and Kíla. She has three children: Patrick, whose father is Stewart Copeland from The Police; Violet, whose father is photographer Perry Ogden; and Finbar, whose father is record producer Denny Cordell.

His second marriage did not produce any offspring.

His brother is Jonathan Guinness, 3rd Baron Moyne, and on his mother’s side, he was the elder half-brother of Max Mosley, the former President of the FIA.

Recognition

Guinness’s dedication to conservation was acknowledged by cultural organizations in both the United States and the United Kingdom, including Europa Nostra. In 1980, he was honored with an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Trinity College Dublin. He gained honorary membership in the Royal Institute of the Architects of Ireland in 2001 and received a gold medal from the Eire Society of Boston. Additionally, he was affiliated with London's Society of Dilettanti. In 2006, the Queen of Spain presented him with a Europa Nostra award. He served as the grand marshal for Seattle’s Saint Patrick's Day parade in 2010. Later, in June 2014, he was bestowed honorary lifetime membership of the Royal Dublin Society.

Books

Desmond Guinness authored numerous works focusing on architectural history and cultural heritage:

Portrait of Dublin (New York: Viking Press, 1967)
Georgian Dublin (Batsford, 1979)

In collaboration with Julius Trousdale Sadler:

Mr Jefferson, architect (New York: Viking, 1973)
Palladio: A Western Progress (New York, 1976)
Newport preserv'd: architecture of the 18th century (New York: Viking Press, 1982)

Together with William Ryan:

Irish Houses and Castles (London: Thames & Hudson, 1973)
The White House: An Architectural History (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1980)

Co-authored with Jacqueline O'Brien:

Dublin – A Grand Tour (Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1994)
Great Irish Houses and Castles (Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1998; paperback edition by Weidenfeld & Nicolson, 1993)

Articles

Among his written articles is Thomas Jefferson: Visionary Architect, published in Horizon, volume 22 (1979), pages 51–55.