by Richard Buckley, Editor, Business Eye

Alan Shearer and James Nesbitt were just some of the famous names to take part in what is billed as the world’s greatest charity golf day hosted by Royal Portrush (Thursday, 11th October). The event brought 90-plus players together from the worlds of international high finance and property development in aid of the Guinness family’s charity, The Iveagh Trust.


The trust, named after the Guinness family’s aristocratic title which originates from County Down, is Ireland’s oldest housing charity. The event was also attended by the current 4th Earl of Iveagh, Lord Edward Guinness, a direct descendant of Arthur Guinness, who first brewed his famous stout in Dublin in 1759.

It’s the second year Royal Portrush has hosted the ‘World Final’, the culmination of a rapidly growing World Series that has already seen ‘Gatherings’ take place in Dubai, New York, London and Chicago.

Lord Iveagh said:

“We’ve been organising these premium golf events to support The Iveagh Trust since 2013, and the classic combination of Guinness, Oysters and the world’s greatest golf courses has consistently drawn the interest of key players from the worlds of finance, property and investment.

“People have flown in from across Europe and North America to experience what Northern Ireland and Royal Portrush have to offer. It’s a tremendous showcase for the region in advance of The Open in 2019 and everyone has been highly complimentary about their visit.”

The ‘Golf, Guinness and Oysters Gathering’ is an annual event and is the brainchild of Grant Muskett. Originally from Newtownards, Grant now lives in London where he owns and runs a sports marketing and events consultancy. He added:

“These gatherings have become some of the world’s greatest corporate golf days and we’ve drawn top tier ‘c-suite’ executives from all over the globe. It’s a brilliant opportunity to raise awareness and funds, but it’s also a chance for businesses to network. I love the opportunity to bring the event back home and I’m delighted that a number of Northern Ireland firms joined us at Royal Portrush this year.

“The event is also supported by Tourism NI and Golf Ireland to further underline the excellence of Northern Ireland’s golf courses. This is the first time that some of the players have visited Northern Ireland and most are already planning their return trips.”

Although the Guinness family is no longer directly involved with brewing, the golf days are sponsored by Guinness, as well as Golf Ireland.

Lord Iveagh currently manages the 22,500-acre Elveden Estate in Norfolk, the largest ring-fenced arable farm in lowland Britain.

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