Dining at Dublin Castle: Food, Accounts and Authority in the 16th Century

Brewing Power: Food and Drink in Sixteenth-Century Ireland

(This event is part of an interactive public lecture series at Dublin Castle)

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.

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

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:
https://vimeo.com/864341037/f0527aecdd

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)

Susan Flavin - Associate Professor of History, Trinity College Dublin; Principal Investigator, FoodCult

Know what’s Happening Next — before everyone else does.

Get App

Host or Publisher Dublin Castle, OPW