Sinéad Ní Shíthigh and Ann Ní Chíobháin: The Cookbooks that Shaped Us

In this event, Sinéad Ní Shíthigh and Ann Ní Chíobháin will look at food writing & cookbooks as a window into Irish life, uncovering how recipes can tell stories about culture, identity, place and time. Through a selection of cookbooks from different decades, each one offering a snapshot of its era and prompting discussion about what people were cooking, what ingredients were available, who was expected to cook, and how food was written about, imagined and shared. This light, interactive session will invite participants to reflect on how wider social changes, from economic shifts, migration, media, lifestyle trends and sustainability, have found their way into everyday recipes and kitchen practices.

Through a selection of cookbooks from different decades, we'll look at food writing & cookbooks as a window into Irish life, uncovering how recipes can tell stories about culture, identity, place and time. Each book offers a snapshot of its era, prompting discussion about what people were cooking, what ingredients were available, who was expected to cook, and how food was written about, imagined and shared. This light, interactive session will invite participants to reflect on how wider social changes, from economic shifts, migration, media, lifestyle trends and sustainability, have found their way into everyday recipes and kitchen practices.

Sinéad Ní Shíthigh and Ann Ní Chíobháin are the co-authors of Toasties (Blasta Books, 2026), a celebration of one of Ireland's most beloved comfort foods. From a lunchtime staple to a midnight feast, the toastie has always held a sacred place in Irish life. TOASTIES, a celebration of the humble toastie and the extraordinary alchemy that happens when good bread, Irish cheese, real butter and heat come together.

Blending food, memory and social history, this conversation will inspire audiences to see cookbooks as more than collections of recipes. Expect lively discussion, shared memories and unexpected insights into Irish life. You'll leave with a deeper understanding of the books that fed us, shaped us and continue to tell our stories. There will be samples of cheese at this event. On the day please let us know if there are allergies.

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