"House of Guinness": Episode 1 Quiz

Answer: The Fenians

We learn that in 19th-century Ireland, the Fenians were a secret, radical nationalist movement dedicated to violently overthrowing British rule and establishing an independent Irish republic. They targeted Sir Benjamin's funeral procession because the Guinness family (though Irish) represented the wealthy Protestants who heavily cooperated with (and benefited from) British rule. To the Fenians, the family symbolized the oppressive establishment, making this high-profile funeral a prime target for public protest and anger.

Answer: Four

In 1868, the patriarch of the Guinness family dies. His four adult children gather for the funeral. Arthur is the eldest son, who had recently spent years away living in London before being forced back home by his father's death. Edward is the ambitious, business-minded middle brother eager to manage and expand the brewing empire. Benjamin is the troubled younger brother who struggles through life. Anne is the observant and confident sister who has been worrying about the poor in the city.

Answer: The company foreman

Sean Rafferty serves as the head warehouse foreman and security enforcer for the brewery. In the first episode, Anne slips away from the formal funeral duties to visit him in secret, hinting at a hidden background and an emotional connection that bridges the deep social divide between the working-class man and the Guinness family.

Answer: Blackmail

Ellen Cochrane opts for a subtler, non-violent approach compared to her brother's aggressive street protests. Recognizing that the late patriarch left behind no exploitable weaknesses, she focuses instead on unearthing any shameful secrets of Sir Benjamin's children. To do this, she visits the docks and strikes a deal with the local bookie and docks manager, Bonnie Champion, offering him financial compensation in exchange for intelligence on the family.

Answer: St. Patrick's Cathedral

In this episode, the eulogy inside St. Patrick's Cathedral explicitly notes that Sir Benjamin personally funded the building's massive restoration, highlighting the family's immense wealth, civic dominance, and deep ties to the Protestants. This grand, solemn setting creates a sharp dramatic contrast, as while the elite gather inside to honor the patriarch, radical citizens riot outside.

Answer: False

During the dramatic reading of Sir Benjamin's will, the family learns that the estate is definitely not equally divided. Not only are the boys subjected to differing percentages, but Anne is left with nothing from the core estate. Under Victorian inheritance laws and the strict terms set by her father, married daughters were traditionally excluded from receiving direct property or business shares.

Answer: Gambling

Benjamin owes £170 (or around $1,100 in 1868 currency) to local underworld boss Bonnie Champion to cover his heavy gambling debts. Terrified for his life, since Champion warns that owing over £150 carries a deadly consequence, a desperate Benjamin sneaks off during the funeral events and asks a young admirer, Christine, to secretly procure a gun for his protection.

Answer: He forfeits everything

The will includes a strict co-dependency clause concerning the business itself. There is a provision that states that a brother would forfeit everything if he refuses the work. This forces Arthur, who would rather stay in London pursuing politics and a private life, to remain tied to the business.

It compels the ambitious Edward to share control with an older brother who has little interest in brewing.

Answer: A botanical garden

Arthur and his secret companion, Michael, share an illicit relationship driven by Arthur's homosexuality, which he navigates amidst the rigid social constraints of 1860s Dublin. During their private meeting in the botanical garden, Arthur confides in Michael about the mandatory terms of the estate that will force him to stay in Dublin rather than return to his life in London (and to Michael).

Answer: Empty barrels

Patrick Cochrane and his associates target the Guinness cooperage yard at the harbor, where sympathetic workers let them in to set fire to thousands of empty wooden barrels waiting to be filled.
While Patrick views the arson as a direct blow against the wealthy, British-aligned brewery, his sister Ellen harshly criticizes the move, arguing that destroying the city's beer barrels will only turn ordinary Dubliners against them.