Irish brewing in 1970

I seem to keep getting dragged back to Irish brewing at the moment. Not sure why. This is something I came across researching my book "Keg!". It's an overview of the Irish brewing scene, from the point of view of the Guinness chairman.

He starts by relating how the types of beer being drunk had changed over the previous decade.

In a review published recently in the Irish financial journal, Business and Finance, Lord Iveagh, chairman of Guinness, points to the expansion of lager as being the most significant feature of his company's Irish activities in the 1960s, with particular reference to the development of Harp. In 1959, total beer sales comsprised 89 per cent stout, 9.5 per cent ale, and 1.5  per cent lager; in 1969, the proportions are expected to be about 73 per cent stout, 20 per cent ale and 7 per cent lager. Lord Iveagh comments that while more stout is being sold than in 1959 it now makes up only three-quarters of Guinness sales in Eire.

Looking forward to the 1970’s, in Eire the chairman expects increased production capacity to meet the growth of home demand for beer and a more rapid expansion in ale and lager than in stout.
Brewers' Guardian, Volume 99, February 1970, page 77.

The growth of Lager in the 1960s parallels what happened in the UK. Though Lager had advanced a little further in Ireland, with 7% of the market compared to 6% in the UK.* The growth over the course of the decade was truly impressive.

Though lagging far behind the advances of Lager, Ale had still managed to double its market share. Which is interesting. I assume that this was mostly in the form of Pale Ale. I wonder what has happened since? Did its share increase in the 1970s? Does Ale hold as much as 20% still?

This next little bit is very revealing, if you understand what it means.

Guinness has no intention of playing a significant part in the retailing of the company's products but will have to pay attention to packaging and distribution in the ’70’s.
Brewers' Guardian, Volume 99, February 1970, page 77.

That basically means: we aren't going to buy pubs. Which, indeed, was what they did.

Most intriguing was this:

The company intends to encourage the small hop industry that has emerged in Eire over the past couple of years, that it may make a significant contribution, in the future, to the company’s total requirements.
Brewers' Guardian, Volume 99, February 1970, page 77.

What happened to the Irish hop industry? Has it ever provided a significant quantity of Guinness's hop requirements? I somehow doubt it. 

* “The Brewers' Society Statistical Handbook 1990” page 17.