The Guinness family adopted the harp symbol years before Ireland’s Free State Government, which is why the government’s harp is backward!
The harp has been synonymous with Guinness since 1862, when it was used as a symbol on the first bottle label for Guinness. The harp is also the official national emblem of the Republic of Ireland and can be found on the Republic’s coins. The harp is a symbol of Ireland because it has been played in Ireland for over 1000 years. However, there is a difference between the Irish government harp and the Guinness harp. As Guinness had trademarked the harp symbol in 1876, the Irish Free State Government of 1922 had to turn the official government harp the other way around so as it could be differentiated from the trademarked Guinness harp.
The distinguishing feature between the two harps is that the Guinness Harp always appears with its straight edge (the soundboard) to the left, and the government harp is always shown with its straight edge to the right.
One only orders a ‘Pint” of Guinness – not a glass, not a bottle and never a can and most wouldn’t drink it outside of Ireland.
Adventures in Ireland 