Photos showing the Taoiseach drinking Guinness with the British Prime Minister at his country retreat in the UK are 'desperately cringe’ – but they work from a marketing point of view, a travel expert has said.
Pictures showing the two leaders clinking glasses and drinking pints were posted on their official social media channels last night.
Simon Harris became the first leader to visit the British Prime Minister’s country residence at Chequers yesterday – with Keir Starmer using the meeting to commit to a stronger and deeper relationship with Ireland.
Thank you to Prime Minister @Keir_Starmer for hosting me as his first guest in Chequers. pic.twitter.com/oQ8BmKzCod
— Simon Harris TD (@SimonHarrisTD) July 17, 2024
Travel Extra Editor Eoghan Corry told Lunchtime Live Guinness is a positive when it comes to tourism.
"It works very well - it's desperate cringe and we all moan and groan when we see photographs like this but it works really well for us in a key market, the UK," he said.
"One of the ways we can measure that is the sheer volume of people who come from England to Dublin for weekend breaks.
"We can measure it in the 1.5 million people who visit the Guinness Storehouse - that's the brand that they recognise most".
'Old images of Ireland'
Eoghan said it's not really projecting a modern nation.
"It's harping back to old images of Ireland where everything was focused on alcohol; where everything was focused on the pub," he said
"The beer-swilling Irishman was presented in a negative way.
"Until quite recently in English popular culture Ireland was defined by insults; it was basically deprecating references to Ireland and the Irish and the drinking of beer was part of that.
"[It’s] quite interesting that when we went to try and replace it with something else it doesn't have the same reach".
A hand holds a pint of Guinness in the air. Image: Brendan Donnelly / AlamyEoghan said Ireland is best known for two brands internationally.
"There are two brands that get motioned in The Simpsons [in] American popular culture; Guinness is one of them Aer Lingus is the other," he said.
"When Ronald Regan came [to Ireland] in 1983 [he had] a pint of Guinness, when George Bush came [he was] pictured with a pint of Guinness.
"It's the sort of thing we moan and groan about... but when it comes to it, it's the one we wheel out".
'They want a pint of Guinness'
Michael from Coyne's Pub in Galway told the show a pint of plain is what visitors want.
"It's a big thing, especially for American tourists, they just want have a pint of Guinness," he said.
"What I thought was more cringe was the Queen of England when she was brought in and a pint of Guinness passed in front of her.
"It's marketing, you get it out there - we don't like it but it puts bums on seats I suppose".
Britain's Queen Elizabeth II pictured at the Guinness Storehouse in Dublin during her State Visit to Ireland, 18-5-11. Image: RollingNews.ieMichael said it is about trying to project a friendly Irish image.
"They want to put out an image there and the only image that they have is the pint of Guinness, having the craic, two people having a pint," he said.
"I suppose that's what they're banking on, especially for an international audience though we mightn't agree with it here."
Michael added that Ireland has "moved on so much as a nation" but the marketing is important.
Mr Starmer is to visit Ireland in early September as part of a reciprocal trip.
