And its our final #31beerherstories and so I will leave you with this 1603 Law from Waterford which banned women and girls from selling wine, aquavita, beer and ale; in part to prevent the concealment of stolen items and for 'avoyding whordome'.
Day 30 of #31beerherstories, in the 17thc, many women brewed outside of the cities for their own households, or worked in other people's houses brewing. For example, according to Phillipa Hendra in her deposition about the 1641 Rebellion, she stated she had both brewing equipment and beer stolen.
In the late 17thc, some of the English army kept robbing the horses off brewers which meant they couldn't deliver their beer. As a result the Duke of Tirconnell made a list of all the brewers in Dublin & the amount of horses they could have that couldn't be stolen...
#31beerherstories day 29
Over the course of 18th and 19th centuries, homebrewing decreased dramatically in Ireland due to a variety of factors, including the laws. Nevertheless, women's recipe books still contained beer and ale recipes - even one on how to brew in a tea kettle!
#31beerherstories day 28
In the 1901 Census, many women in Ireland, thousands in fact, reported that they worked as publicans or in pubs; including 42 year-old Margaret Boal of Antrim, a publican. Since their creation, pubs have been a critical part of Irish beer history.
#31beerherstories Day 27
#skystorians
In the mid-14th century, The Priory of the Holy Trinity sent grain to Leticia Marcold to make into malt. Just like brewing, many women in medieval Ireland malted grain for their households and/or to make income.
Day 26 #31beerherstories
Day 25 of #31beerherstories in 1768 Widow Clinch was brewing on James' Street, one of many such breweries located on James' and Thomas Streets.
Today is Day 24 of #31beerherstories, and let me introduce you to Maria O'Reilly, who, according to the Treble Almanack of 1794, was brewing at 235 Francis Street. But she also has links to another famous brewing family- The Sweetman's who eventually would buy out her brewery.
First page of my chapter; A Goddess, A Nun and A Saint Walk Into a Brewery, in Filthy Queens A History of Beer in Ireland.
Day 22 of #31beerherstories is, of course, the amazing St Brigid, who in between exploding eyeballs and stealing everything in sight, was busy making miraculous brews. I've got a chapter 'A Goddess, A Nun, And A Saint Walk Into A Brewery' dedicated to her and other Irish saints in Filthy Queens.
It's day 23 of #31beerherstories and today we learn of Unnr, a powerful leader who had ties to Dublin. Importantly, she planned her grandson's wedding- which also turned into her funeral feast. That wouldn't be complete without funeral ale! More on my substack here open.substack.com/pub/braciatr...
Day 21 of Irish #31beerherstories is Queen Medb, the intoxicating one. She famously swore off drinking red & white ale until two mythical bulls fought in front of her. You can read about that legend which started on a spooky Samhain night here on my substack:
open.substack.com/pub/braciatr...
Day 20 #31beerherstories, according to Wilson's Dublin Directory, Widow Hamill brewed on Newmarket, the Coombe in 1768.
Mostly empty beer glass sits on a wooden table. Some foam remains on the top of the golden coloured beer.
Lady Sarah Taylor, widow of Alderman Samuel Taylor, took over the entire operations of their brewery upon his death and was listed as the establishment's proprietor in 1783. Taylor was one of many widows who inherited breweries in the 18thc, & ran them quite successfully.
#31beerherstories Day 19
Throughout medieval Ireland, nuns brewed for their communities. Providing ale that could be a critical part of their diet. So it wasn't just St. Brigid's mythical ales, but very real ones that were created.
#31beerherstories day 18
mostly empty beer glass sits on a wooden table. Ale is a golden colour with a small amount of foam. Picture from pixabay by Alexander Fox
And for Day 16 of #31beerherstories we meet Juliana Honicode, who tried to get out of fulfilling her obligations to the Abbey of St Thomas the Martyr by not providing them with the ale to which they were entitled. So she found herself in court in 1308.
A wooden barrel sits on grass near some still water. Between the water and the grass is a concrete edge.
#31beerherstories Day 15 According to the 'Calendar of Ormond Deeds', in either 1383 or 1403, the council there received 50 gallons of ale from Johanna Gower; Isabella (no last name) 51 gallons, and Matilda Lybbe, 26 gallons of ale.
Day 14 of #31beerherstories and we meet Ellen Miller who paid 12 shillings and 6 pennies for selling ale and grinding malt to the weekly Cess in 1648.
Photo of Christ Church Cathedral. Shows side of the grey stone with beige stone windows, grass in front with pink and yellow flowers. Photo by Ingo Mehling • CC BY-SA 4.0
Day 13 of #31beerherstories did you know the cellars of Christ Church Cathedral might have been used as a tavern? According to historian Gillian Kenny, in 1423, a widow named Juliana Loveryn & merchant called John Warying leased two cellars under Christ Church. Kenny argued..
#skystorians
Photo of beer on top of wooden table. Photo is taken from top of beer, so shows circular top of beer glass with dark golden beer
In the early 14th century, women were working away brewing in Dublin, for home use but also for sale in alehouses and taverns. Women like Blissina Lotrix, Joan Tyrell, and Mabilla Arnalde. #31beerherstories day 12
In 1647, Catherine Coyle of St. Kevin Street paid six pennies as her weekly payment to the Cess for grinding Malt and selling ale.
#31beerherstories day 11
Day 10 of #31beerherstories, outside the medieval city walls in the parish of St. Catherine, Dublin Alexander Norton's widow paid £1 and 10 shillings for water to brew her ale in 1680.
Day 9 #31beerherstories: in the mid-17th century, at least two women brewed in St. Audeon's Parish, Dublin; named as Widow Fitzwilliams and Widow Hanlon, once again telling us that brewing was a viable way to make an income after the passing of a husband.
Photo of Ladies Craft Beer Society of Ireland at Underdog. A group of ten women sit around three wooden tables drinking beer.
It's #31beerherstories day 8! In 1610, an English army captain called the alewives of Dublin 'Most Filthy Queens,' (hence the book title) and accused them of all kinds of things including cheating their English customers. But unlike other instances, this went down very poorly...
#skystorians
Image above is a photograph of Nell McCafferty by Brian O'Neill. Taken in May 2014. CC BY-SA 3.0
#31beerherstories and we are honouring Nell McCafferty, legendary activist, writer, and campaigner for a woman's right to drink pints, just like their male counterparts.
In the late 1970s, McCafferty and thirty comrades entered the premises of Neary’s and each ordered a brandy... 🧵
#skystorians
Copper-alloy cauldron or brewing pan. Possibly the famous Geashill Cauldron from the early 15th century. In collection at National Muesum Ireland- Archaeolgy
Day 6 #31beerherstories women could also brew & sell ale alongside their husbands in Ireland. Jacoba Payn and her husband, John Kyng, owned a brewing pan worth 3 shillings 4d & wooden brewing vats worth 4s. Did they brew together? Possibly. Or she brewed and they
Saint Patrick Street in 1989. Features 1980s cars and a bus flanked by old red brick buildings, with Saint Patrick's Cathedral looking out over the scene. By Gerd Eichmann - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=77127885
Day 5 of #31beerherstories & today we have Elizabeth Usher of St. Patrick Street in Dublin, who on February 25th, 1647, had to pay £2 & 2 shillings for the weekly impost for selling ale/'grinding' malt. This payment was part of the cess, a loan to support the colonising English army.
#skystorians
Collection of basins or pans, a wooden vessel and a cauldron at the National Museum of Ireland- Archaeolgy. One particular copper alloy vessel is much larger than the others, this might be the Geashill Cauldron
Text for large copper alloy basin as described in previous image. Text reads: Copper alloy basin. This is the largest known sheet metal basin. It may be the large cauldron recorded in 1406 as being used for brewing in the Geashill area, although we cannot be certain. Text is also written in Irish.
Seaking of wills, funerals & feasts (hat tip to @drlindseyfitz.bsky.social post about funeral tickets) women in Ireland didn't just leave money/malt for their funeral ales, they also willed their brewing equipment to their children, often daughters. Brewing pans like
#31beerherstories #skystorians
Day 3 of #31beerherstories is the medieval woman, or women, of Dublin who caused such a scandal brewing bad ale with straw that a law was passed against using it in the 14th century. I haven't found any evidence anyone actually ever did such a thing besides the law, however.
This is an architectural drawing of St. Werburgh's Church in Dublin from 1780. It features the front of the church with a blend of Georgian and Baroque styles including large columns. A large tower rises above the main structure, with a clock and a spire.
Widow Weldon was not the only woman brewing in St. Werburgh's parish in the 17th century. Widow Devine paid the same amount, £1 & 10 shillings for water for ale brewing in November of 1680. Widows were still very much a part of making ale and beer in 1600s Dublin.
#31beerherstories
#skystorians
Black and White photo of St. Werburgh's Church in Dublin by William Lawrence c1900. Image shows a street with a brick building with number 24 on the front, and large windows, next to the church which is an 18th century design
In the autumn of 1680, Widow Weldon of St. Werburgh's Parish, Dublin paid £1 10 shillings to the city for water for ale brewing. This would not be the first or last time she paid such a fee.
& with her story, I announce the return of #31beerherstories, a post about a woman or women...
#skystorians
