Arthur’s Day was created by Diageo in 2009 to mark 250 years of Guinness.

Arthur’s Day was created by Diageo in 2009 to mark 250 years of Guinness. Every September, people raised a pint at 17:59, a nod to 1759 when Arthur Guinness signed his 9,000-year lease at St James’s Gate. It drew huge crowds and big music acts across hundreds of pubs, but by 2013 it had run its course. Critics felt it leaned too heavily into Ireland’s drinking culture, and the Irish Times called it “a masterclass in how to fabricate a national holiday.” Diageo pulled it after 2013 and replaced it with a music programme for emerging Irish artists.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​