Dia dhuit translates, God be with you, and as we travel to Dublin, Ireland, we begin with a bit of history. In the late 1700s, they knew little about the importance of clean drinking water. Because drinking water proved deadly, many turned to gin or whiskey to quench their thirst. Seeing the negative impact on society, Arthur Guinness followed the lead of many monks and churches of the time; brewing beer with a much lower alcohol content, it was considered safer to drink.
Guinness was a devote Christian and attended church every Sunday. His personal motto was “Spes Mea in Deo,” Latin for “My Hope is in God.” Although he didn’t convert to the Methodist faith, his diaries tell of his admiration for the words of John Wesley. Wesley’s common message was, “Having, first, gained all you can, and, secondly saved all you can, then give all you can.” Guinness agreed with Wesley’s model of evangelical social work and opened the first children’s Sunday school in Dublin. But this was just the beginning. Guinness spent the rest of his life in many philanthropic works around Dublin.
Beyond Beer
Above all, Guinness passed a legacy of generosity to his children. His son Benjamin funded the restoration of St. Patrick’s Cathedral. The legacy continued as Benjamin’s two sons, Arthur III and Edward, competed to improve Dublin, so each brother was trying to outdo the other with their philanthropy. Much more than beer, these links reveal the rich history of the Guinness family. https://www.guinness.com/en-us/our-community/a-history-of-giving/ and https://www.challies.com/articles/the-philanthropists-arthur-guinness/
“Fill your life with experiences, not things. Have stories to tell, not stuff to show.” — Unknown
In addition to brewing, Dublin has a beautiful coastline and interesting modern architecture, along with amazing castles. This link will help in planning your trip: https://www.visitdublin.com. Dia dhuit from Dublin!
May the road rise up to meet you.
Traditional Irish Blessing
May the wind be always at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face;
the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again,
may God hold you in the palm of His hand.
And when you look up into the sky and see the sun, moon, and stars—all the forces of heaven—don’t be seduced into worshiping them. The Lord your God gave them to all the peoples of the earth.
Deuteronomy 4:19 NLT
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