“Dining is a rich and unique experience of King’s Inns. The tradition of dining was, and still is, all about building a spirit of collegiality. Networking and getting to know your colleagues in the barrister profession is one of the most important aspects of our member community.”

Diane Sutton, Member Relations Officer

When you can Dine

Subscribing barrister members, which include all qualified barristers who subscribe to King’s Inns, may invite guests on any night during the dining term, except on nights of benchings and bencher student nights.

Many barristers love dining with colleagues and friends to experience one of the oldest customs of King’s Inns.

Click here for dining dates and booking >

Menus and Dietary Requirements

Menus are pre–set for each night of Dining. Dinner is €55.00 per person (discounted member rate) for a four–course menu. If you, or your guests, have any allergies or wish to select the vegetarian option, please detail this upon booking. This is to ensure that your needs are catered for on the night. We cannot facilitate requests on night of Dining. 

Please note, all 14 allergens are openly used throughout the kitchens at King’s Inns. Our food and events partner does cook with Celery, Cereals containing Gluten, Crustaceans, Eggs, Fish, Lupin, Milk, Molluscs, Mustard, Nuts, Peanuts, Sesame Seeds, Soy Beans and Sulphites, and as much as they try their best to keep them from other foods, there could be traces of them in anything they make.

Barrister members and guests are welcome for complimentary pre–dinner drink in the Bar Room, and coffee and tea after dinner.

For dinner, drinks can be ordered and paid for in advance or on the night. Pre–order of drinks is necessary to ensure your drinks are available (and red wines can be opened for you before the evening commences). Pre–ordering of drinks is managed by our food and events partner, Claire Hanley Catering who will contact you three–working days before the Dining night.

Bookings

“Whether you decide to go and practise in Ireland or in other jurisdictions, or decide to use your skills as a barrister as in–house counsel, in academia, communications or policy, forming allies with your peers is key. Dining helps student members to make connections and break bread with your peers and future mentors”.

Diane Sutton, Member Relations Officer

WHEN YOU CAN DINE 

Student members are gifted 10 nights of Dining by the Benchers of King’s Inns. See the Member Relations document on Moodle for further details.

Student members may bring up to a maximum of two guests on certain nights of Dining called “Student Guest Night” and their guest/s must be paid before attending a Dining event. Students cannot bring guests on any other night of Dining.

click here for dining dates and booking >

MENUS AND DIETARY REQUIREMENTS

 Menus are pre–set for each night of Dining. Student members (and their guests) are served a three–course menu. Students are served either a set menu or plant–based menu only. Should you have any special dietary requirements email Claire Hanley at kingsinns@clairehanley.ie at the start of term. Providing you name, student number and your special dietary requirements.

Please note, all 14 allergens are openly used throughout the kitchens at King’s Inns. Our food and events partner does cook with Celery, Cereals containing Gluten, Crustaceans, Eggs, Fish, Lupin, Milk, Molluscs, Mustard, Nuts, Peanuts, Sesame Seeds, Soy Beans and Sulphites, and as much as they try their best to keep them from other foods, there could be traces of them in anything they make.

BOOKINGS

1. Bookings to be made through the King’s Inns online booking system.
2. No payment is required. Benchers of King’s Inns gift each student member 10 nights of dining. See the Member Relations document on Moodle for further details.
3. On Student Guest Nights, students can bring up to two guests (only bookable at the time of your own booking). Guest rate is €35.00 per person (discounted student member rate). To confirm your booking, you will need a credit/debit card.
4. To make a booking, you need your student number and King’s Inns email address.
5. If you have any dietary requirements, they must be stated at time of booking. Requests cannot be accommodated at a later date.
6. When booking, you will receive an automated booking confirmation via email. Keep in a safe place as you will be asked to present your booking confirmation on the night of Dining. 
7. You sign in on arrival in the Entrance Hall and MUST present your student card.
8. Bookings are non–transferable.
9. Bookings can be accepted up to 1–week before the dining event if spaces are available.
10. If dining nights are fully booked, we will operate a waiting list. If spaces become available, we will contact you on a first come, first served basis.

Cancellation Policy 

Due to the nature of Dining, we have a strict cancellation policy. Cancellations can be accepted up to 5–working days prior to 12 pm (excluding weekends and bank holidays) by emailing us at dining@kingsinns.ie. Cancellations are not accepted in any other format.

Student cancellations after this time and no shows on the night will incur a charge of €35.00 for each seat booked. Cancellations of student guest bookings after this time, you forfeit 100% of the Dining fee paid.

This condition applies if you or your guests have to self–isolate due to Covid–19.

Dining is a rich and unique experience of King’s Inns. Keeping ‘terms’ in the Dining Hall is one of the oldest customs of King’s Inns. The tradition of dining was, and still is, all about building a spirit of collegiality. Networking and getting to know your colleagues in the barrister profession is one of the most important aspects of our member community.

To allow everyone to experience the custom of Dining, we have certain guidelines in place for each night of Dining. If you have any guests new to dining at King’s Inns, and not familiar with customs, please let them know in advance. 

Dining commences promptly at 6.30 pm and ends approx. 8.30 pm. 

Dress Code 

1. All guests of Dining are encouraged to wear dark clothes suitable for court. 
2. Student and barrister members must wear a gown to Dining. Gowns are provided in the Entrance Hall. Guests are not required to gown up if they are not barrister members. 

On Arrival 

1. The main dining hall door will open at 6 pm. 
2. All guests will be greeted in the Entrance Hall. 
3. Ticketed cloakroom available for busy nights of Dining.
4. Student members will be asked to present their King’s Inns student card, sign in and wear your supplied student lanyard for the duration of the event.
5. All barrister members will be asked to present their booking confirmation.
6. Benchers and honorary benchers go straight to the Benchers’ Room on arrival.
7. Barrister members, and their guests, are welcome to have a pre–dinner drink in the Bar Room.
8. Check the table plan in the Entrance Hall before entering the Dining Hall, student member tables and barrister member tables are identified. Benchers sit at the top of the Dining Hall on the Dais.
9. The Bench Stewart will ring a bell to call everyone to the Dining Hall promptly at 6.30 pm.

While Dining 

1. Please stand for Grace before and after the meal.
2. Keep the centre aisle free and do not move between tables during Dining. 
3. All electronic devices should be on silent or turned off before entering the Dining Hall.
4. Photographs cannot be taken until after the meal and all ceremonial is over, and even then, only with permission of fellow diners.

Departure 

1. Please leave the Dining Hall immediately after last Grace.
2. Complementary coffee and tea is available in the Bar Room for everyone.
3. Please return and hang up your gowns on racks provided in the Entrance Hall before you leave the building.