Beamish and Crawford operated until 2009 and had a number of owners, including Carling O'Keefe, Elders IXL, Scottish & Newcastle and, most recently, Heineken International.

[5] Richard Barrett and Digby O’Brien, already partners in an ale brewery in Cork, approached Beamish and Crawford in 1791, likely in the summertime, as they wanted to enter into the then booming porter industry, but lacked the capital to do so themselves.

Though the exact circumstances surrounding his imprisonment are unknown, during the Napoleonic Wars it was common for merchant ships to be captured, and O'Brien could likely have been seen as a hostage who could have attracted a handsome ransom.

[19] Father Matthew's campaign was at its peak between 1837 and 1843, and beer output in Ireland fell from over a million barrels per annum, to roughly half that number.

[20] From the foundation, Beamish and Crawford dominated the Cork porter market, until in 1856 James J. Murphy opened Lady's Well Brewery.

[22] Initially Murphy's did not enjoy much success, and after less than two years in business, members of the family approached Beamish and Crawford hoping that the latter would purchase their new brewery, but they were rebuffed.

With the 2008 takeover of Scottish & Newcastle, the brewery passed into the hands of its main Cork-based rival Heineken International.

[4][25] The brewery buildings (including the Tudor fronted "counting house")[26] are still in the heart of Cork's medieval city, close to the South Gate.

Fosters has remained with the new owners, while Miller was transferred to a new distributor, importing the beer from SABMiller's Netherlands brewery.

In 2009, after just over two years of being reintroduced to the US market,[2] owners Heineken decided to stop distribution of Beamish products outside Ireland.