Garech Browne facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Garech Browne
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Browne in May 2017
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| Born |
Garech Domnagh Browne
25 June 1939 Chapelizod, Dublin, Ireland
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| Died | 10 March 2018 (aged 78) London, England
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| Nationality | Irish |
| Other names | Garech de Brún, Garech a Brún |
| Occupation | Art collector |
| Known for | Claddagh Records |
Garech Domnagh Browne (born June 25, 1939 – died March 10, 2018) was an Irish art collector. He was a big supporter of Irish art, especially traditional Irish music. In Ireland, people often called him by his Irish name, Garech de Brún or Garech a Brún.
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His Family Background
Garech Browne was the oldest of three sons. His father was the 4th Baron Oranmore and Browne. His mother was Oonagh Guinness, who was very wealthy. She inherited money from the famous Guinness family. Oonagh was one of the "Golden Guinness Girls."
Garech's parents both married three times. This meant he had stepmothers and stepfathers. He also had older half-siblings. His only full brother was Tara Browne. Tara was a young socialite in London. He died at age 21 in a car crash. This sad event helped John Lennon write the song "A Day in the Life." Garech went to school in Switzerland at Institut Le Rosey. Even though he was part of the Guinness family, he did not work in their brewing business.
Life at Luggala
When in Ireland, Garech Browne lived at Luggala. This large house is in the Wicklow Mountains in County Wicklow. He inherited Luggala from his mother. It was often called a castle or a hunting lodge. A book called Luggala Days by Robert O'Byrne tells the story of Luggala. It also shares details about Garech's life there.
Supporting Irish Music
Garech Browne was very important in bringing back traditional Irish music. He wanted to make sure it was preserved. In 1959, he helped start a record label called Claddagh Records. His old home, Woodtown Manor near Dublin, was a welcoming place. Many Irish poets, writers, and musicians visited there. The folk group Clannad recorded a lot of their music at Woodtown Manor.
Garech also helped create the famous Irish folk group The Chieftains. In 1962, after starting Claddagh Records, he asked his friend Paddy Moloney to form a group. Paddy was a famous uileann piper. He put together the first version of The Chieftains. This group went on to become very successful around the world.
An Art Supporter
Garech was a friend and supporter of the artist Francis Bacon. In 2017, Garech was in a BBC show about Francis Bacon. It was called Francis Bacon: A Brush with Violence.
His Marriage
In 1981, Garech Browne married Princess Harshad Purna Devi Jadeja. They were married in Bombay, which is now called Mumbai.
His Passing
Garech Browne passed away in London on March 10, 2018. He was 78 years old.
In his will, he left a special gift to the city of Galway. It was the stone remains of a medieval "bow gate." For a while, no one knew where this gate was. But in 2019, it was found at the Luggala estate. A historian from Galway believes the gate was part of the city's defenses in the 1600s. It might have been moved from the city by one of Browne's ancestors, Dominick Browne, 1st Baron Oranmore and Browne. The gate was one of many items Garech left to the Irish State. He also left his collection of carriages.
In 2022, his family loaned his library of 20,000 books and manuscripts. They are now at Farmleigh for a long time.
Portraits of Garech
Vanity Fair magazine published pictures of Garech and Luggala in 2008.
A painting of Garech as a boy was sold in 2019. It was painted at Luggala by Lucian Freud. The painting sold for €6.7 million.
See also
- The Tribes of Galway
