There was a time in British history when wealthy young men….. especially the handsome ones …. who never married were assumed gay.  Although in the case of Sir Arthur Guinness, subject to such rumors, he did wed but very strangely for that period, he never had any children. 

Back then in the 1860s, Ireland was still part of the UK and subject to its laws, and the death penalty for penetrative sexual acts between men had only just been abolished (although a court needed two eyewitnesses to prosecute), replaced in 1861 by life imprisonment.  That alone was enough for any queer man, rich or poor, to keep their sexuality totally on the downlow.

Now, in the new TV mini series THE HOUSE OF GUINNESS, Netflix has thrown caution to the wind and outed the millionaire Sir Arthur (played by the disarmingly handsome Irish actor Anthony Boyle), and this playboy heir is used to getting what he wants.  Which, in most cases, is a man in his bed. He could have been expected to have been even more discreet when he and his brother become de-facto heads the Brewery  which is Dublin’s largest employer, but Sir Arthur doesn’t change one iota. He doesnt stop from cruising the local molly houses, or inviting his own employee Patrick (Cúán Hosty-Blaney) up to his office for a few after-hours dalliances and he shows how he delights in being gayu …..which is such a refreshing change 

We think that this is probably a first for a period drama, as in Downton Abbey, the one gay man Edward was working glass with his life very definitely below Stairs.   

PS Boyle so doesnt hold back on ‘giving his all’ especially in some of the ‘intimate’ scenes.  You have been warned.