House of Guinness Recap Episode 7: Liffey Eel

House of Guinness Season 1 Episode 7

When Uncle Henry ranted about Arthur to the then very pregnant Anne, he compared his nephew, the richest man in Ireland, to a liffey eel. So, of course, when Arthur sent Rafferty to exact his vengeance on his family member who nearly caused him a massive scandal (and might possibly have resulted in the imprisonment of multiple people just for being at the house party), Rafferty showed up with a liffey eel and used it to nearly strangle the old preacher. Arthur escaped the police raid because young Patrick, whom Uncle Henry threatened with exposure and jail time, warned his Guinness lover at the very last moment and got him out of the house just before the police barged in. The police spotted them anyway, and the two of them had to evade a foot chase. They hid in the stables, where Arthur’s emotions went from fury to love to despair – to the absolute coldness of a Guinness who has finally decided to punch back. Though Episode 7 is one of the stronger episodes in what is frankly a mostly middling season, House of Guinness has Anthony Boyle’s phenomenal performance as Arthur Guinness; to see his work alone, I would still say this show is well worth a watch. 

At a time when homosexuality was a crime, Arthur’s carelessness as a Guinness had its limits. He was a frequent visitor of places of ill repute like The Angel, and his penchant for having male lovers was known to people like Bonnie Champion, but he remained careful in how he acted in public and in society. His marriage to Olivia was a form of shield to his private life. When young Patrick kissed him at the brewery, at daylight, it was Patrick who was pushing the affection, not Arthur, who knew he had to play a part, for business as well as survival. Arthur’s decision to take Patrick dancing at a house party, where they could be themselves, where they could be around other people without having to hide, was an act of trust. Patrick broke that trust, and though he was all youthful vulnerability when he pleaded with Arthur, when he claimed that he saved him, Arthur coldly told him that the Guinnesses gave generously to the poor, but they did not forgive. Under Arthur’s instructions, Rafferty threatened Uncle Henry’s life, told him to leave, and gave him a check that was probably the last money he would see from his nephew.

Rafferty was still Arthur’s man, despite bedding his wife right there in their marital home and eventually, getting her pregnant. Yes, Arthur agreed to this arrangement, he was the one who sent Rafferty to his wife, but sex was supposed to be the extent of their relationship, and predictably, feelings were happening even from cold Olivia’s side. This, Arthur could no longer tolerate. 

What was going through Olivia’s mind on those times when she stared at Rafferty from across the room, when she lounged at the orangery alone, when her desire for her husband’s foreman became so obvious that he sent him to her, when she insisted that Rafferty spend his pleasure in her fully aware that it could result in pregnancy, when she encouraged her husband to run for office again, when she told him she wanted him to have power? She was a penniless aristocrat who only had her lineage and her pride until she entered a marriage of convenience and found a rich man who, in his own way, loved her. Did the dizzying wealth that came with life  as a Guinness make her think that she could have everything all at once, that she could indulge her desires without having to pay a cost? Did she think that her occasional tenderness toward Arthur, and his acceptance of her touch, and tolerance  of her throwing things at him, meant that she was the one who held the power in the  marriage? In the early days of their marriage, Arthur was content. The Arthur who was currently processing her pregnancy was no longer content. He was also an Arthur who was discovering his own willingness to exercise his power not just as a Guinness, but as the wealthiest amongst the wealthy bunch.

Arthur was now more involved in the business. Part of that meant encouraging his brother to marry Adelaide. It also meant accepting that he needed to stand for election again, which was what both Olivia and Edward wanted him to do. Arthur and Edward may have started at loggerheads, but as they navigated their lives post their father’s life and influence, they had learned to get along. They were united when they went to confront Bonnie Champion, whose threat of exposing Arthur (and Edward too, Bonnie knew of his relationship with Ellen and his New York arrangement negotiated by Byron Hedges) remained a knife that could cut them at any moment. Arthur and Edward meant to expand the brewery by blowing up The Angel and its surrounding buildings. They served Bonnie a Notice to Quit, and offered him 3000 pounds in compensation along with another 500 pounds annually, in return for his silence and his peaceful evacuation of the premises. Bonnie knew that the brothers meant business this time, and though he got Edward to raise the offer, this was very clearly a defeat.

With the blackmailer now off their property, Byron Hedges arrived, summoned by Edward to run Arthur’s campaign. Jack Gleeson poured such earnest energy in his Byron, I could not help but wish he were in a better show. As of this writing, there is no announcement yet for a second season, though I wish there would be, and that it would be a much improved one. House of Guinness certainly has the pieces to create something truly special.

Byron wanted to sell Arthur as a candidate of virtue, and to tie the demolition of Dock 7, Bonnie Champion’s erstwhile kingdom, as proof of the Guinness willingness to confront the sins of the city. Byron told the assembled three – Arthur, Edward, and Rafferty – that he needed to know their excesses if he were to hide them. Arthur confessed to being previously a frequent visitor of Dock 7, and that his wife was pregnant with his foreman’s baby. Edward confessed to his affair with Ellen, which lasted until two months before his marriage to Adelaide.

Yes, Edward and Adelaide finally married. Like the wealthy jerk that he was, Edward continued spending time with Adelaide, time that eventually led to a kiss, whilst also having an affair with Ellen. And both women knew of each other’s existence. Smart,  practical, and political, it was obvious when Edward finally broke things off with her that Ellen still allowed herself to fall in love with him, and that a part of her hoped they had a future. There was true pain in her voice when she told Edward he was running away from her because she was bad for business. The brewery may not have been all that mattered to Edward, but it was certainly the biggest concern of his life, bigger than whatever feelings he had for a Fenian leader society would not have accepted that he marry.

And, for all of Adelaide’s protestations, she, too, succumbed to what was expected of her, to fall in love with someone she was supposed to fall in love with. Their time in Ashford Castle softened her perception of Edward – his idea about digging a well and erecting water pumps to provide the people of Cloonboo clean water was a practical, long-term solution that would genuinely change lives far more than giving them some food one time – but it did not look like Edward proposed again until over a year later, when through Aunt Agnes and Arthur he learned that Adelaide would now respond favourably to a proposal. By this time, the massive apartment complex for the working poor had been built. Adelaide had seen first hand what her cousin’s money could do for the causes that she championed. She has learned that there was more to him than she previously realised. It did not matter that she knew he loved someone else. They reached a point when they both liked each other well enough; that was more than enough for an aristocratic marriage. 

Packed with love and loss, and what felt like a ticking time bomb within Arthur with regard to his wife and her lover, the penultimate episode of House of Guinness offered compelling glimpses of the potent, messy drama the show could be. I am genuinely looking forward to unpacking the finale, and I hope there will be season two news soon. 

Rating: B+

Strays

👑Rafferty told Uncle Henry that he thought the sons would be weaker than the father, but they are not. I wonder if Potter would agree.

👑House of Guinness had a rule of cool moment where, after threatening Uncle Henry, Rafferty walked through the old tenements that were about to be blown up to make room for the new Guinness housing project, so that as he walked, there were explosions on his back. I suppose it was meant to be a mike drop moment, but it did not really feel earned. Uncle Henry did not have enough screentime to establish himself as a compelling villain. Freed by Arthur to attack a Guinness, there was such an imbalance of power between Rafferty and Uncle Henry, so that there was not really much glory in taking down an old man. The show could have done better with emphasising what Arthur and the other attendees of the house party faced once arrested, and perhaps giving Uncle Henry more screentime, if they wanted a glorious takedown moment.     

👑Edward has been paying off Ellen’s landlady to turn a blind eye to his presence in her flat.

👑Though Arthur would stand for election supporting the union, Edward promised Ellen he would make sure Arthur did not burn the bridges he built with the Fenians. 

👑Benjamin was drinking again, and things were not well with him and his wife. Christine found him alone in an empty banquet hall after Edward’s wedding, and the  two of them ended up having sex on a table. When Potter arrived with some maids to clean up, he reminded them of the rule that copulating couples were not to  be  disturbed but were to be cleaned around.

Episode Writer: Steven Knight

Episode Director: Mounia Akl

Original Air Date: September 25, 2025

You can view RecapLab’s coverage of House of Guinness via this link. 

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