The brewery forms part of Diageo’s near €1 billion capital investment programme across the island of Ireland between 2020 and 2029.

The Littleconnell Brewery will produce a range of ales and lagers, including Rockshore, Harp, Smithwick’s and Kilkenny, alongside well-known licensed beers such as Carlsberg, supplying both Irish and international markets.

With planning permission secured, Diageo has also confirmed plans for an approximate €400 million investment for the development of a second brewery at Littleconnell over the next three years, with work due to begin this year. 

The new facility, known as Brewery 2, will be dedicated to the production of Guinness and Guinness 0.0 and will more than double total site capacity, supporting the global growth of Guinness. 

Colin O’Brien, category head of global beer supply at Diageo, said “Ireland plays a key role in Diageo’s global beer supply and Littleconnell is central to enabling future growth in Guinness exports. This site is part of Diageo's near €1 billion investment programme that strengthens capacity, builds resilience across our brewing network and supports the global growth of Guinness and Guinness 0.0 from Ireland. Littleconnell, together with the developments at St James’s Gate, will enable growth in overall beer exports from Ireland and help us deliver on Diageo’s Spirit of Progress sustainability commitments.”

As part of the investment between 2020 and 2029, Diageo has already completed work at St James’s Gate and its Belfast packaging site to increase capacity and support Guinness 0.0, and further work is planned to support the decarbonisation of St James’s Gate.