Guinness fans just learn true meaning behind iconic logo after 163 years

Irish Daily Star

26-04-2025

Each year, around 1.8 billion pints of
Guinness
are sold worldwide. To put things into perceptive, stout fans are knocking back more than 10 million glasses of the black stuff per day.
But despite many of us loving the taste of the dark nectar – comprised of four main ingredients of water, barley, hops and yeast – there is still fun trivia people are learning about the company. This includes knowledge about the iconic harp logo that is recognisable in countries around the world.
So did you know this fun bit of trivia? It's something fun to mull over next time you're
down the pub
with some mates. So here's everything you need to know about the Guinness logo that's been around for 163 years and counting.
It's a harp with one key difference – it's been flipped around
(Image: NurPhoto via Getty Images)
Why does Guinness use a harp as a logo? It turns out, the history of it goes back much further than just being part of the drink's emblem. The logo is based on a famous Irish harp from the 14th century known as the O'Neill or Brian Boru harp.
You can now see this on display at the Library of Trinity College
Dublin
– and hundreds of visitors crowd around it each day. This is because the ancient item is one of the oldest surviving Gaelic harps in the world.
However, there is a key difference between the harps seen in the library and on Guinness products. They are mirror images that face opposite ways.
This is because the Irish government adopted the harp as its official symbol in 1922, prompting Guinness to change its version to avoid clashing. It's undergone numerous redesigns over the years – with its current form including "sharper, more detailed features".
Mark Sandys, Diageo Global Head of Beer and Baileys said: "The Guinness harp was originally based on the legendary 'Brian Boru harp', a powerful symbol of Ireland's national identity and heritage. In keeping with the Guinness 'Made of More' ethos, we have reintroduced a special handmade quality to the harp to reflect the experience, craftsmanship and passion that we put into brewing our Guinness beers."
While some already knew this fun fact, there are people who are only just taking a closer look at the Guinness logo. On X, one commenter asked: "How am I just noticing that Guinness logo is a harp?"
Meanwhile, another said: "Am I the only one that is just realising that the Guinness logo is a harp?? I seriously thought it was just a weirdly bent piece of gold."
Well, the more you know!