Garech Browne
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Garech Browne (b 1939) is a wealthy patron of Irish arts, notably traditional Irish music.
The Hon. Garech Domnagh Browne, born 25 June, 1939, is a member of the titled family of Oranmore and Browne in the West of Ireland. He is often known by the gaelic designation of his name, Garech de Brún, especially in Ireland. He is the eldest of the three sons of Dominick Browne, the 4th Lord Oranmore and Browne and Oonagh Guinness, daughter of Hon. Arthur Ernest Guinness, wealthy heiress to the Guinness fortune and youngest of the three "Golden Guinness Girls". His father had the rare distinction of sitting silently in the House of Lords for 72 years until his death at age 100 in August, 2002, without ever having spoken in debate. As both his parents were married three times, he has had two step-mothers and two step-fathers and also has a number of elder half siblings. His only full brother, The Hon. Tara Browne was a young London socialite whose untimely death at age 22 in a car crash in London's West End was immortalised in song by John Lennon. Garech was educated at Institut Le Rosey, Switzerland and though he is a member of the extended Guinness family, he takes no active part in its brewing business. Since the 1960s, he has been a leading proponent for the revival and preservation of traditional Irish music, through his record label Claddagh Records which he founded. His former house, Woodtown Manor, near Dublin was for many years a welcoming place for Irish poets, writers and musicians and which was associated with the folk-pop group Clannad, where they made many recordings of their music.
Garech was instrumental in the formation of the world-renowned traditional Irish folk group, The Chieftains. When he asked his friend, the famed uileann piper, Paddy Moloney, in the early sixties to form a group for a one-off album for the Claddagh label, Paddy came up with the first line-up of The Chieftains, the membership of which has hardly changed since its foundation. Garech is famed for his hospitality which he generously dispenses to his friendship circle in the arts and music business. Invitations to his soirėes, often frequented by a bohemian circle, at Luggala, his fairytale castle and estate deep in the Wicklow hills, are much sought after. He is instantly recognisable by his attire, as his famous pony-tail, wispy beard, tweed suit and dapper appearance have an immediate appeal. He was once banned from an Irish pub session for having long hair and no socks, though there is always a welcome for him in the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin with which he has a long association from childhood.
He was married in 1981 to the beautiful Princess Harshad Purna Devi of Morvi, daughter of His Highness Sri Mahendra Sinhji, Maharaja of Morvi in India where he spends part of each year.
