Screenwriter Steven Knight and one of the stars of the show, Dervla Kirwan, joined Shane Coleman on Newstalk Breakfast to speak about the show.

“I would say everything about this family makes them ripe for a drama," Steven says.

"What I discovered was this family with the most extraordinary capacity for events, for drama, for scandal, for outrage, for humour.

“The thing that I most like about the family throughout all of their generations is that they seem to be aware of their own absurdity, which is a very important thing, because they get up to stuff, and they make lots and lots of money and they make the most beautiful beer in the world.

"But they also do these silly things - it's just so great to have these characters on the menu."

Steven gave an insight into the research that he undertook into one of Ireland's most famous families.

“The origin story is quite well known, but no one really knows if the barley actually burnt.

“In 1868, Benjamin Guinness - the patriarch - died, and he gave away lots of land, lots of cattle and castles. No one was happy. It was the consequence of his will that is the story of the first series."

Dervla, who plays fictional character Aunt Agnes in the series, talks about her time growing up in Churchtown in Dublin, as she left for London at a young age to pursue a career in acting. She remembers the significance that the Guinness family had in Irish life growing up.

‘I remember my father saying 'Get a job in Guinness - Guinness is a job for life. “Don’t go into this acting business now, you should get a good job!” she said.

“It’s part of our culture, it's everywhere."

Steven spoke about his Birmingham roots and how there is also a strong Irish connection there, which further inspired him to write about the Guinness family.

“The thing I love to do the most is write dialogue”, he says.

“I feel that the way that Irish people talk has a very particular rhythm to it, and I really enjoyed writing it”.

Dervla speaks about her character in the series, and how she embodied the role.

“She is one hell of a character, she’s brutal in her own way - her violence is in words”, she says.

“She has to dominate her sphere, she has to ensure great marriages and her motivation is the blue blood of that aristocratic line, the Guinness family."

The music in the series takes on a modern touch, as Irish bands such as Fontaines DC and Kneecap feature throughout. Steven says that this is a deliberate choice.

“You have to feel from the music the actions that you are watching. It’s quite raw, rebellious and hopefully authentic.

“Contemporary music is a bridge between the audience and the piece that you’re writing because it gives people permission to feel that very modern emotion”.

The series has been compared to other productions such as Succession. Steven was asked what he thought of this comparison.

“I want this to be itself, it’s Guinness,” he says.