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Guinness Book of World Records - CASTLEBRIDGE

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  • 18-05-2011 4:25pm
    #1
    WexfordWarrior
    Registered Users Posts: 293 ✭✭


    I recently found out that the guinness book of records started off in castle bridge... i was dumbfounded to hear this and it is a little known fact i think... i was born and reared in wexford and lived there most of my life bar a few years but never found this out until a few weeks ago...

    why isnt there some sort of tourist attraction to recognise this?? for gods sake you could have tourists flocking to the area for this.,..its world famous and i cant believe there isnt a visitor attraction centre for it telling the story of how it came about...

    in case you dont know...

    On 4 May 1951, Sir Hugh Beaver, then the managing director of the Guinness Breweries,[5] went on a shooting party in the North Slob, by the River Slaney in County Wexford, Ireland. He became involved in an argument over which was the fastest game bird in Europe, the koshin golden plover or the grouse. That evening at Castlebridge House he realised that it was impossible to confirm in reference books whether or not the golden plover was Europe's fastest game bird.[6][7]
    Beaver knew that there must be numerous other questions debated nightly in pubs in Britain and Ireland, but there was no book with which to settle arguments about records. He realised then that a book supplying the answers to this sort of question might prove popular.


    we could have clay pigeon shooting going on as part of the centre, and different activities / attractions tie in with the book of records ...fun and trivia...coffee shops... merchandise.... im sure they could get some sort of agreement with guinness to do this. its seems crazy not to mark the area...

    i think it would bring in tourists and be an added attraction to the wexford area. what you all reccon ?

    to any businessman watching this post i want a share for my great idea if anything happens from my post on this site! :D


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    #2
    McLoughlin
    Registered Users Posts: 1,909 ✭✭✭McLoughlin


    There is a place its called the Wexford Wildfowl Reserve http://www.wexfordwildfowlreserve.ie/ and the fact that the idea for the guinness book of records came from the North Slobs is mentioned out there in its visitor centre.

    Surprise you hadn't heard about it before its pretty well known fact


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    #3
    WexfordWarrior
    Registered Users Posts: 293 ✭✭WexfordWarrior


    no was completely ignorant of this one mcloughlin... pretty good stuff ! will check out the slobs and try to see mention inside !


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    #4
    Poochie05
    Registered Users Posts: 4,246 ✭✭✭Poochie05


    They are renovating the gardens at Castlebridge House and working to turn them in to a community garden. As far as I know there are plans for an exhibition about the Guinness book of Records at some stage.


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    #5
    Leo Demidov
    Registered Users Posts: 991 ✭✭✭Leo Demidov


    The first 'book of records' gave no indication as to which bird was faster, futility at its best!

    The house is presumably still owned by wex co co as it was used for years for training purposes by wexford county fire service and wexford civil defence(serving as WX Cd headquarters for many years). It was eventually stood down as it posed a serious risk to human life due to general disrepair as well as fungal and biological hazards. It was also used for many years for 'knacker drinking' and the condition of the architectural marvel that was the 'sunroom' reflects this fact.

    Your idea is probably a decade too late as the funds are no longer available to bankroll such a venture. If pitched correctly, it may well have become a significant tourist attraction. Not sure the residents of Castlebridge would appreciate the clay pigon shooting though.


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    #6
    Aoifey!
    Registered Users Posts: 4,571 ✭✭✭Aoifey!


    Wow, I never knew that.


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    #7
    Judgement Day
    Closed Accounts Posts: 13,549 ✭✭✭✭Judgement Day


    The only picture of Castlebridge readily available on Google images. :)

    1281414_a01e970d.jpg

    Caption: Derelict conservatory of Castlebridge House
    This was a fine cast iron conservatory built in the 19th Century by Pierce Brothers of Wexford. Castlebridge House was built in 1814 for James Dixon, whose company was the biggest malt producer in Ireland. In 1826 the house and business were purchased by the Breen bothers. They were major suppliers to Guinness, who bought the business in 1973.
    In 1951 a shooting party staying at the house argued about which was the fastest game bird. The result of this was the commissioning of the McWhirters to produce the Guinness Book of Records.

    © Copyright David Hawgood http://www.geograph.ie/photo/1281414


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