Guinness

Fear struck the hearts of pub owners and patrons alike today as reports of a fire at the Guinness brewery in Dublin, Ireland were reported. Initial reports did not have detailed information, and pictures of thick black clouds billowing over the factory portended the worst. Would the supply of the elixirs produced by this institution, unique in the entire world, be disrupted? Would the nectar that so many depend on to get them through their work days and weeks come to a crashing halt? Would it even be worthwhile to get out of bed tomorrow?

Fortunately, the fire was contained to a single, older and little used building on the factory grounds. At this time nothing is known about what started the fire and since there will be little or no impact on the production of its various brews, interest will be waning fast. While interest in the fire is dyeing down, the effects of such news may be felt by many loyal Guinness’ customers for days, while their constitutions recover from such a severe shock. The dazed and vacuous looks will take a while to completely disappear. Production on the part of factory workers throughout the world, and particularly Ireland and England, will surely be adversely affected. For administrative types, it is advised the important functions be checked and double checked until this shock has completely worn off.

To understand the severity of this occurrence, one must think of the dispensaries the world over, taverns, bars, pubs, inns, liquor stores, grocery stores, vendors at fairs and special events and others purveyors of Guinness products, as the arteries and veins through which Guinness’ life-giving ambrosia’s flow. The factory in Dublin, then, can be only pictured as the heart. Shut down the heart, and of course there is nothing to run through the arteries and veins with which to supply those in need.

This close call should be a warning and needs to be taken seriously. In case of events such as this a happening in the future, strategic stockpiles of ales and brews should be developed and placed the world over. The potential fallout from a prolonged disruption to Guinness’ factory would impact nations the world over and governments worldwide should take heed. Let’s hope nothing as severe as a genuine Guinness closure ever happens, but today’s shock should be a wake-up call to the need for planning for just such an event.