Beer 'as much of a dietary staple as bread' in 16th Century Ireland

Beer was ranked alongside bread as the most important dietary staple in early modern Ireland, and some workers were granted a daily allowance of 14 pints of ale, a study has found.

Dr Susan Flavin, Lecturer in Early Modern History at Anglia Ruskin University in the UK, examined evidence from household accounts, soldiers' rations and port books from 16th century Ireland.