Jennifer Guinness

Jennifer Guinness
Born	Mary Jennifer Hollwey (1937-08-22)22 August 1937 England
Died	23 January 2016(2016-01-23) (aged 78) Ireland
Occupation	Socialite
Known for	Being kidnapped and held for ransom
Spouse	John Henry Guinness ​ ​ (m. 1959; died 1988)​

Mary Jennifer Guinness (née Hollwey; 22 August 1937 – 23 January 2016), was an English-born Irish socialite and member of the Guinness family.^[1] She was a keen sailor and a member of Howth Yacht Club.^[1]

Kidnapping

She was kidnapped for ransom in April 1986,^[2] but rescued by the Garda Síochána from a home on Waterloo Road in south Dublin eight days later.^[3]

At trial, brothers Michael and John Cunningham were convicted, along with Anthony Kelly, after being arrested at the house on Waterloo Road.^[4] Brian McNicholl was also convicted, with the judge accepting that his role was mainly to provide a location for Guinness to be held.^[5] Kelly died in 2005 from undisclosed causes; Michael Cunningham died in 2015, aged 65, after suffering a massive heart attack at his home in Ballyfermot.^[4]

Personal life

She married John Henry Guinness on 9 April 1959, and they had three children. Guinness and her family lived at Ceanchor House, Ceanchor Road, Baily, Howth, County Dublin.^[1][6][7]

Her husband died aged 52 in a mountain-walking accident in Snowdonia.^[6] Jennifer Guinness died on 23 January 2016, aged 78, following a long battle with cancer.^[1]

See also

• List of kidnappings
• List of solved missing person cases

References

1. Reilly, Jerome (23 January 2016). "Jennifer Guinness - victim of a notorious 1986 kidnapping that lasted eight days - has died". Irish Independent. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
2. Staff (10 April 1986). "Kidnapers Seize Wife of Guinness Heir: Husband Heads Bank in Ireland; Ransom Put at $2.6 Million". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
3. O'Connor, Bob (17 April 1986). "After Kidnapping, Socialite Says She Didn't Despair". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on 8 July 2015. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
4. Williams, Paul (6 January 2015). "Death of criminal involved in Guinness kidnapping". Irish Independent. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
5. "12-year sentence in Guinness kidnapping". United Press International. 18 November 1986. Retrieved 8 July 2015.
6. "Jennifer Guinness 1937–2016". afloat.ie. 25 January 2016. Retrieved 28 January 2016.
7. "Guinness house in Howth for €12 million". The Irish Times. 29 March 2007. Retrieved 28 January 2016.