Diageo opens Littleconnell Brewery, reinforcing near €1 billion commitment to Ireland

Further estimated €400m investment planned at Littleconnell over the next three years, including Brewery 2 to expand Guinness and Guinness 0.0 production

Diageo today officially opened its new Littleconnell Brewery in Newbridge, Co. Kildare, marking a significant milestone in the company’s long‑term commitment to brewing in Ireland. With an investment of almost €300 million, the state‑of‑the‑art brewery forms part of Diageo’s near €1 billion capital investment programme across  Ireland between 2020 and 2029.

Officially opened by Taoiseach Micheál Martin, the brewery was constructed in under 18 months on a 40‑acre site and is powered by 100% renewable electricity. The project, supported by Enterprise Ireland, accommodated approximately 650 jobs during construction and has created more than 50 highly skilled permanent roles, underlining Diageo’s contribution to regional development and skilled employment.

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 and strengthening Ireland’s role within Diageo’s global brewing network.

Second brewery

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 in 2026. 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.

As part of the near €1 billion 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.

Littleconnell incorporates advanced brewing and process technologies to reduce energy and water use. Its design is expected to avoid up to 15,000 tonnes of carbon emissions annually compared with a similar‑scale facility, supporting Diageo’s Spirit of Progress sustainability commitments.

Today’s announcement reinforces Diageo’s confidence in Ireland as a strategic hub for brewing excellence, supporting exports, innovation, sustainability and long‑term economic growth.

According to Sir Dave Lewis, chief executive, Diageo, “The demand for Guinness and Guinness 0.0. is surging. Today Diageo is proud to unveil our new state of the art brewery at Littleconnell, part of our €1 billion investment in Ireland. How fitting that it’s in County Kildare, the birthplace of Arthur Guinness.”