GarechdeBrúnhadWexfordlinks
GUINNESS descendant The Hon Garech de Brún of Wicklow, who died on Saturday at the age of 78, had strong Wexford connections and was a regular visitor to the county.
The eldest of three sons of Dominick Browne – the 4th Lord Oranmore and Browne – and his second wife Oonagh Guinness, he lived most of his life at Luggala in County Wicklow, a house made famous by his legendary hospitality and the parties attended by many musical luminaries of the 1960’s including the Beatles and the Rolling Stones.
In 1962, he set up Claddagh Records and asked his friend, the uileann piper Paddy Moloney to form a group to record a one-off album. Paddy’s response to the request was the first line-up for The Chieftains.
Garech de Brún’s family can be traced back hundreds of years to Mulrankin and he was very conscious of that Wexford connection, according to local historian Bernard Browne. He visited Wexford frequently including areas such as Bridgetown, Rathronan, Mulrankin and Big Barn.
About 18 months ago,before his health began to deteriorate, he paid a visit to the Irish National Heritage Park in Ferrycarrig along with his relative Dr. Ivor Browne, the retired Irish psychiatrist.
An avid and informed historian whose home in Luggala boasted a large two-storey library, he had been planning another trip within the next few weeks to visit Wexford sites of note.
In 2016, he came to Wexford to attend the 1916 commemmorative events for the renowned politician Kathleen Browne who flew a tricolour from her family home in Rathronan Castle during the Easter Rising and was arrested and imprisoned. As a Cumann na nGaedheal member,she was elected as a Free State member of Seanad Éireann and served as a Senator for several years.
The Hon Garech de Brún was a lifelong supporter of the arts and opened his home to many musicians, composers and writers ocver the years. Despite his declining health, he had been working with the OPW on an exhibition at Farmleigh.
He is survived by his Indian-born wife of 37-years Princess Harshad Purna Devi. He was a brother of Tara Browne who was killed in a car accident in London and who inspired the famous Beatles song ‘A Day in the Life’ from the Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band album.
At the weekend, President Michael D. Higgins led the tributes to the Guinness heir, Claddah Records founder and custodian of Luggala Estate. In a statement, he said: ‘The passing of Garech de Brún will be heard with great sadness by all those interested in the performance and recording of Irish music, song and poetry. He will be deeply missed by his neighbours and friends.’