Book sets its own record

THE Guinness Book of Records celebrated its 50th anniversary in Dublin yesterday with a line-up of new record holders, including a TV3 crew who beat the world record for putting on a duvet cover and then equalled the record for cramming the most people into a Smart car.

With the help of students from the UCD, TCD and DCU gymnastic societies, an attempt was made to break the record of fitting 14 people into a Smart. Sucking in their stomachs, while broadcasting live to the nation, the record was not broken, but equalled.

Ireland AM managed to squeeze 14 gymnasts into a 250cm x 151cm space, again entering the record books for a second time in one morning.

“It’s great to see people setting records and to have two successful attempts in one morning is remarkable,” said keeper of the records Stewart Newport, who verified yesterday’s feats. Now called Guinness World Records, it is a record-breaker itself, as the best-selling copyrighted book.

It has sold more than 100 million copies in 100 countries, its sales soaring above Harry Potter and Dr Atkins’ New Diet Revolution.

The original idea for the annual was conceived by the managing director of the Guinness Brewery, Sir Hugh Beaver in 1951.

He was with a shooting party in Co Wexford when the group bemoaned the absence of a reference book to settle an argument over the fastest game birds in Europe. However, it was another four years before it was launched.

The latest 2005 edition of the Guinness World Records, which is published as a special 50th anniversary collector’s item, was appropriately launched at the Guinness Hopstore in Dublin.

As well as the usual list of tallest, longest and fastest facts, the updated collection includes exclusive interviews with some well-known record holders including Microsoft founder Bill Gates; Everest conqueror Sir Edmund Hillary and creator of The Simpsons Matt Groening.

A total of 67 Irish people have featured in the Guinness World Records in the past half-century including Westlife which had the most No 1 singles in the British Top 40 charts, with a total of 12 hit singles between 1999 and 2003.

Other Irish record-breakers include a team of six men and women who made the record books in March, having skipped for 24 hours at Waterford’s City Square shopping centre to raise money for Our Lady’s Hospital for Sick Children, Crumlin.

“The one thing that hasn’t changed during the 50 years we’ve been publishing this book is people are still inspired to break and set new Guinness World Records and this commemorative collector’s edition is a testament to that desire,” said Mr Newport.

“It is a real pleasure to bring the book back to Ireland, where it all began.”