Yankee Brew News Archive

Guinness Gives Away Its Third Irish Pub:Two New Englanders Among Finalists

Originally Published: 08/96

By: Donald S. Gosselin

The Seanachaoi (Shawnakey) Pub in County Clare was the object of the 1996 Guinness "Win Your Own Pub in Ireland" contest. In this third year of the Guinness promotion, ten finalists were assembled in Killaloe, Ireland, nestled on the banks of the River Shannon, and home to ancient Irish king Brian Boru.

The contestants were selected from a pool of over 50,000 entrants, each of whom penned a fifty word essay beginning with "Guinness is..." The finalists competed in several areas; dart-throwing, building a perfect pint of Guinness, blarney delivery, and lastly, delivering a fifty word essay on why they should win the Seanachaoi.

Two New Englanders were among the finalists. Nate Quinn, a native born Irishman and long time resident of Brewster, Massachusetts, and retired chemist Jack Galligan of Little Compton, Rhode Island. Other contestants hailed from Oklahoma, Oregon, North Carolina, California, Ohio, Colorado and New Jersey.

A landscape engineer by trade, the 23 year old Quinn brought his father along for the contest. His closeness with his father and love of Guinness were prominent in his winning essay:

"Guinness is... the terminator of the generation gap. When my father and I sit down together to drink Guinness, the 32 years between us fades away, as we find common ground. We talk soccer, baseball, Kerouac, while listening to Cranberries and Clannad. As mom smiles."

Galligan, a 63 year old retiree from the Gillette Company, took exactly ten minutes to pen his entry:

"Guinness is... one of our favorite companions. It has joined us with friends,

nourished acquaintances, adjudicated arguments, enlivened discussions,

softened storms and welcomed us abroad. A pint of Guinness may be a teacher

and a passport; a gift to all from gentle Ireland."

The day before the contest, the finalists arrived at the Seanachaoi for a tour of the pub and its second floor living quarters. Seanachaoi, the contestants were told, is Gaelic for "storyteller". Galligan seemed to take to that idea immediately as he strode out on the pub's rear deck remarking, "Let me look at my deck here."

While Galligan exercised his blarney skills, Quinn kept a lower profile, choosing instead to brush up on his dart throwing. Others contestants practiced the art of pouring a perfect pint of Guinness in the pub below, many of which were received by local residents and thirsty beer journalists.

The following day, contestants were met by Guinness Importer Connie Doolan. A colorful figure with a black suit and a shock of white hair, Doolan greeted each contestant. One Killaloe resident was heard to describe him as Guinness personified: "He even looks like a pint--white on top and black on the bottom."

Guinness Marketing Director Howard Pulchin described the events leading up to the pub giveaway. Just before the first event, Doolan chimed in with a last word of advice, "What got you here was yourself. Just be yourself and you'll do just fine."

Apparently, the contestants took the advice to heart; at the end of the darts and pint pouring events, the scores were tightly grouped. After a lunch and pint break, the contestants met again in the Seanachaoi for the final event--the fifty word oral essay. South Boston's own Jay Gallagher, Guinness' first Win Your Own Pub winner, had his own bit of counsel for the contestants, "The darts are away and the pints are all gone. Now, it's all in what you say and how you say it." The contestant took turns standing behind the bar and delivering their 50 word speeches, which ranged from a heartfelt address to, "...I need a job."

The ten judges adjourned to judge the contestants on appeal, clarity and delivery. After much discussion, the judges were particularly swayed by what many felt was the most heartfelt of the ten speeches; "She talked to me...This storyteller pub. She whispered in my dreams. The world is scarce on time, she said...And Guinness gives it back. Pour it slow...and share the stories with your neighbors. Learn the trade with me, then take it home. Yes, I answered. I am ready."

"[The essay] just came to me in the middle of the night," said contest winner Shann Weston, a 45 year old Wildlife Education Coordinator for the State of Oregon. The mother of two girls, ages 8 and 10, Weston had visited Ireland only once before--nearly 22 years ago. Weston and her husband Steve Porten, a lawyer, house husband and retired police officer, have not yet set their plans for the Seanachoi.

"This is terrific," Porten said, "It's kind of like being Mr. and Mrs. America, in a way."