Bro, When I was in Jamaica I had a chance to meet with the Ambassador of Ireland. We started talking about the Ivey Family at which he said that I am as Irish as "Patty's Pig". I'm sure you have herd that before, He said that Iveagh is Gaelic for Ivey and that we must be kin to the Guinness family. When he said that I was sure he had kissed the "Blarney Stone" to meny times.  But the other day I e-mailed the Guinness Archive and this is what came back.    .....Louis

 

Dear Louis,

Thank you for your request for information from the Guinness Archive at
Guinness Storehouse.

The name Iveagh was an old Irish name, of a family that came from Co.
Down, that died out with the Flight of the Earls. The Guinness family
also traced their family to Co. Down and therefore when looking for a
title in the late 19th century, they chose the name Iveagh, to symbolise
their roots to that part of Ireland. The first Lord Iveagh was Edward
Cecil Guinness (1847 - 1927) who was given this title by Queen Victoria
in honour of his philanthropic work in London and Dublin. The title has
been passed down to the male heirs of the Guinness family and the
current Lord Iveagh is the 4th Earl.

The Earl of Iveagh gave his name to several Dublin institutions such as
the Iveagh Trust (a charitable trust which the first Lord Iveagh founded
to provide housing and welfare to Dublin's poor); Iveagh Gardens, and
Iveagh House (townhouse of the Guinness family presented to the Irish
government and now used as the headquarters of the Department of Foreign
Affairs).

Kind regards,
Eibhlin Roche