The star of one of Guinness's most famous TV ads was excluded from last week's celebrations marking the 250th anniversary of the stout.

Joe McKinney, who is known to millions as the "dancing man" from the ad which ran from 1994 to 1996, was snubbed by Diageo bosses in the Arthur's Day celebrations.

More than 60 artists jetted into Dublin to perform in pubs and venues with the biggest celebration taking place at St James's Gate where singer Tom Jones raised his pint in front of 2,000 party-goers.

Now teetotal, McKinney sat at home in case he was contacted to make a late appearance but the call never came.

He told the Sunday Tribune: "I haven't heard from them, no. I checked my emails ? not that I was looking for anything – just to make sure. I suppose I am conspicuous by my absence.

"Given the contribution I have made to them over the years it would have been nice to get an invite to the event. It would have been nice to have been informed about it. I try to have a decent relationship with them."

It was a different story back in the mid-1990s when Guinness flew McKinney around Europe to make personal appearances after he starred in their most famous TV ad.

Titled Anticipation, the 1994 low-budget TV promo featured McKinney dancing to the camera as he waited for his pint to be pulled. Prior to this, McKinney then 27, a graduate of theatre performance from Inchicore VEC, had only worked in fringe theatre.

The TV ad for Guinness was an instant hit, turning him into a global superstar.

"I knew it had taken off when personal appearance offers came in and they wanted to show the ad in other countries... From that point on it went beyond what anyone would have expected.

"From 1994 to 1996 I was a one-man European tour. It was mad. There were some serious rock 'n' roll moments. Free gargle. Fame and notoriety." But the life of personal appearances and free drink took its toll on McKinney.

"I had to stop it. I was 29 and couldn't handle it anymore. I drank everything that was there. It got to a stage where I thought, is this it? So I stopped the merry-go-around or else I jumped off."

McKinney was to find out that there was a downside to his fame.

"The ad put me on the map but it put me in one place on the map. Casting directors and punters saw me as the Guinness man. Why? You will have to ask them. I don't know. I lost jobs."

McKinney moved to New York, where the Guinness TV ad never aired, before returning to Ireland and appearing in RTE's Glenroe between 1998 and 2001.

He has been rebuilding his reputation as an actor in shorts and feature films since. And he hasn't touched a drink in 12 years.

A spokesperson for Guinness was unavailable for comment.