In September of 2025, a new show on Netflix took over the Top 10 and made the internet abuzz. House of Guinness, a fictional story inspired by true events, is about the four Guinness siblings after the passing of their father, Sir Benjamin Lee Guinness, the creator of the renowned Guinness Brewery in Dublin, Ireland.
The eldest of the siblings is Anne Guinness (Emily Fairn), followed by the eldest son, Arthur Guinness (Anthony Boyle), the second son, Benjamin Guinness (Fionn O’Shea), and the third son, Edward Guinness (Louis Partridge). However, the most fascinating part of the series was the women of the story.
Women in this time period were often the “women behind the curtain,” telling the Guinness brothers what to do because they themselves did not afford the same liberties in society as men. In this series, the women have agency in their own right and not only use it to pursue philanthropic efforts throughout Dublin, but also persuade their more influential and affluent male counterparts to do the same.
Ellen Cochrane, played by Irish actress Niamh McCormack, is the younger sister of the leader of the Finean Brotherhood, also known as the radical organization opposed to the Guinness family due to their connection with London and a series of advantageous actions in the past. Cochrane is bold and fearless. She uses her wit to get inside secrets and uses them to her advantage without using violence. McCormack said in an interview with Glamour, “I think she represents hundreds and hundreds of women who’ve been forgotten in history or written out because they didn’t have the status or the money to be remembered.”
Because of this, she sparks the attention of the third son and Co-Owner of the Guinness Brewery, Edward. Cochrane ends up being the connection between the Fineans and the Guinness Brewery, helping make sure both parties’ wishes are met, especially the Fineans. She is the backbone of the show, and her connection with Edward creates even more delicious scandal.
The Female Experience
The only Guinness daughter, Anne, is on a trip through Clooneboone, an area struck hard by the potato famine in the 1840s. It is regarded as one of the most dangerous areas to travel through. The carriage is not supposed to stop whilst they travel through; however, Anne’s gradual decay in strength reaches a new level when she appears to be suffering a miscarriage. She yells that they must stop, and while they do, a mob of angry, poor men starts attacking the carriage. Anne needs help, but there are no doctors in Clooneboone, which is when she yells, “At least find a woman!” A woman in Clooneboone immediately jumped to Anne’s aid when she was suffering.
This one sequence of scenes exemplified the power of womanhood. Despite being of very different classes, the woman who lives in poverty in Clooneboone still took the wealthy, and ignorant, Anne into the church for safety, and while she rested, got her a pair of clean undergarments (after hers were bloody from the miscarriage). This small act started a movement in the Guinness High Society philanthropic efforts. Anne used her influence to convince her brothers and other family members that the people of Clooneboone are not dangerous; they are dying and scared due to the neglect of Irish noblemen like the Guinness family.
Lady Olivia, played by Danielle Galligan, particularly caught my attention in the series. When we first meet her, she comes across as a bit spoiled and materialistic. However, her eye for reputation management and her outspoken frankness make her the perfect wife for the eldest son, Arthur Guinness, who holds secrets of his own.
Lady Olivia experiences a loss that only women can fully understand. And due to the many constraints of the 19th-century high society, she lives most of her life in her home estate… alone. What stood out the most was her character arc throughout the series. In just six episodes, she manages to portray pain and guilt, while maintaining the stoicism and boldness she carried in her first scene. The subtleties in Galligan’s acting were outstanding. As an audience member, I felt for her character so much, because in one look, you could see the pain and contemplation behind her eyes while also maintaining the wall she puts up in front of others.
All the women in this series have agency, which is something we never used to see in period dramas. But being able to balance the inclusion of strong female characters without them feeling like a diversity hire is what makes this show so much more powerful. Every single woman adds something to the story and changes the plot. She has a purpose for herself, not just for her husband.