Dining at Dublin Castle: Food, Accounts and Authority in the Sixteenth Century Event 2

Price

€7 (plus booking fee)

Book Tickets

Dates

08/02/2026 - 08/02/2026
7:00 pm - 8:30 pm

Location

Dublin Castle

Brewing Power: Food and Drink in Sixteenth-Century Ireland

Dublin Castle is delighted to present a six-part public lecture series exploring how food and drink shaped everyday life, social relationships and authority in sixteenth-century Ireland. The series draws on new research conducted by the FoodCult project, led by Trinity historian Dr Susan Flavin, and moves between the kitchens of Dublin Castle and the reconstructed Tudor brew houses combining history, science, archaeology, craft and film.

EVENT 2: Dining at Dublin Castle: Food, Accounts and Authority in the Sixteenth Century

This is a discussion and tasting with Susan Flavin.

This lecture takes a close, forensic look at one of the richest sources for sixteenth-century life at Dublin Castle: its household accounts. The talk explores how these records were created and used, and what they reveal when read carefully. By examining how food, drink, costs, provisioning and dining arrangements were recorded, it shows how historians can reconstruct everyday life within the Castle household and understand the practical demands of sustaining authority on a daily basis.
The lecture also shows how the same accounts underpin experimental reconstructions of food and drink, including beer. The tasting during the series draws directly on this evidence, demonstrating how account books record what was actually brewed, bought and served, and why that makes them such a valuable guide to everyday practice.

Link to the film Drunk? Adventures in Sixteenth-Century Brewing

Date: Saturday, 7th February, 2026
Time: 7 pm – 8.30 pm (Doors open at 6.45 pm)
Location: George’s Hall, The State Apartments, Dublin Castle Upper Yard
Adults (18+)
Tickets: €7 (plus booking fee)