Dublin Hen Do

Did you know?

• Dublin has a younger population than any other European city with around 50% of people being 25 or under.
• Dublin was originally called Dubh Linn which meant Black Pool.
• Guinness Storehouse’s Gravity Bar is the highest bar in the city at 46m off the ground. As you can imagine, the views from here are incredible.
• There are less calories in a pint of Guinness (198) than a pint of orange juice (222), not that calories count on a hen weekend in Dublin!
• Dubliners have hilarious nicknames for their famous statues. Will you encounter the Tart with the Cart, the Floozy in the Jacuzzi or the Hags with the Bags?
• Dublin’s O’Connell Bridge that crosses the River Liffey is one of the only bridges in Europe to be as wide as it is long.
• As Dublin is a UNESCO City of Literature, it’s no surprise that it’s spawned four Nobel prize winners as well as famous Trinity College graduates including poet and playwright Oscar Wilde and Dracula author Bram Stoker.
• The Brazen Head on Bridge Street is the oldest pub in Ireland, dating back to 1198.
• If you’re a fan of Dublin rockers U2, you’ve got to visit Windmill Lane Studios where you’ll find the U2 wall that’s covered in graffiti from fans from all over the world.
• Some remains of St Valentine are kept at Whitefriar Street Carmelite Church along with a shrine to the patron saint of love.
• Dublin born playwright and activist, George Bernard Shaw was the first person in history to win an Oscar and a Nobel Prize. He received both for Pygmalion.
• One of Ireland’s greatest mysteries is the disappeared of the Irish Crown Jewels. They were stolen from Dublin Castle in 1907 and never found.
• Random fact time; the biggest cake ever baked here was made to celebrate the 1988 city millennium. It weighed a whopping 13.5 stone! Don’t know if you girls could eat it all but it’d be fun trying, right?
• Ireland’s won the Eurovision Song Contest more times than any other country, seven in total. There most recent winner was Dublin-born Eimear Anna Quinn in 1996.
• Dublin Bay held the world's first recorded open yacht race in 1663.

Dublin in numbers

• Dublin spans 44 square miles, offering loads to explore during your Dublin hen party.
• This Irish city is massively popular with hen and stag groups. It’s estimated that at least 600 groups are celebrating their pre-nuptial parties in Dublin every weekend.
• While it’s been long rumoured that there are 666 pubs in the city, there’s actually more than 1,000.
• It’s estimated that Dubliners drink almost 10,000 pints an hour from Friday night to Sunday morning. Reckon you could keep up on your Dublin hen night?
• St James's Gate brewery brews a whopping three million pints of Guinness every day!
• Guinness is the world’s best-selling stout with 10 million glasses sold every day in 150 countries.
• Phoenix Park spans 1,750 acres and one of the biggest walled parks in Europe.
• Dublin Zoo opened in 1831, making it the third oldest zoo in the world. The famous roaring lion that stars in the opening of early MGM films was born here in 1919.
• Despite their name, the Dublin Mountains are technically too small to be officially classed as mountains. The Sugarloaf is the highest at 423.5m.
• The Spire of Dublin is a 390ft tall, stainless steel monument on O’Connell Street. It’s often hilariously referred to by locals as the Stiletto in the Ghetto and the Stiffy by the Liffey!

No hen do in Dublin is complete without enjoying a good old gossip over some good food! Whether you want to end the evening with a chilled-out meal or line those stomachs before hitting the town, a slap-up dinner ticks all the boxes.

Activities for Foodie Hen Parties in Dublin

Whether you want a Michelin-starred, sophisticated restaurant, to eat seafood that’s freshly hauled from Dublin Bay, delicious international cuisine, traditionally Irish pub grub or just a cheap and cheerful takeaway, you’ll find it in the city centre.

Bottomless Brunch - Bottomless brunch is a quintessential Dublin hen do activity, getting the booze flowing for a fun day drinking session that includes a slap-up meal. You’ll get your pick of brunch dish from the set menu and will wash everything down with totally unlimited alcohol or soft drinks.

Afternoon Tea - Enjoy a sophisticated daytime treat where you’ll tuck into feather-light finger sandwiches with a range of fillings, a selection of cakes and scones with clotted cream and jam. Afternoon tea gives you all a chance to slow down the pace and catch up with the girls.

Dublin Restaurants - Your taste buds are going to be thoroughly treated during your Dublin hen party with more restaurants than you can shake a stick at. Whether you want cheap eats at the end of your big night out or a sumptuous fine dining experience, you’re to find it in the city centre.

Buskers Bar at Temple Bar Hotel - Tickle your taste buds with a delicious three-course meal at Buskers Bar at the Temple Bar Hotel. You’ll pick three awesome courses from their fab set menu, packed with traditional Irish dishes with a bang on trend twist.

There’s even something to please the veggies and desserts range from chocolate chip cheesecake to banoffee pie? Drooling yet?

Cleaver East - This sophisticated restaurant is located in the heart of Temple Bar and gives visitors a playful menu with delicious and locally sourced Irish ingredients with infusions from East Asia. Think meat cuts and grilled seafood with a creative flair. They even serve up a mouth-watering bottomless brunch with dishes ranging from a full Irish breakfast to chicken dumplings with soy and chilli dipping sauce.

The legendary nightlife in Dublin is diverse and dynamic, promising a last night of freedom you’ll never forget! From microbreweries to swanky cocktail bars, from rockin’ music venues to traditional Irish pubs, there’s a pub, bar or club for everyone here, no matter what your taste or budget. If you’re looking for hen party ideas in Dublin, we reckon partying at a pub, bar or nightclub will be pretty high up on your priority list.

There’s never a dull moment in the Temple Bar area. We reckon it gives visitors one of the best bar crawls in the world! Your feet barely have time to touch the cobbled pavement between pubs. The party atmosphere spills on to the streets as you mingle with likeminded revellers and enjoy loads of laughs.

As well as top notch drinks, you’ll also be treated to loads of live music from traditional Irish folk to the latest chart hits. Everywhere’s open until the wee hours so get ready for an epic all nighter!

Bar Crawl - A great way to sample all the highlights of Dublin’s nightlife is with one of our bar crawls. You’ll visit at least five pubs and get a free shot in each. What better to discover your favourite bar? And trust us, you’ll be spoilt for choice.

You’ll also be given wristbands which will give you access to loads of other fab discounts and special offers. You can use them all weekend, create your own pub crawl, save money and skip queues. What’s not to love?

Cocktail Making - Cocktail making has got to be one of our most popular activities for hen parties in Dublin! What’s a trip to this party city without a few drinks? Make everything feel even more special by combining this with learning a fun new skill! Head to the Temple Bar Hotel to learn all the tricks of the trade whilst getting your hands on a shot and two cocktails each! The friendly bartender will show you exactly how to mix and muddle as you get competitive with your friends over whose drink looks and tastes the best!

Once you’re all cocktailed out, why not sit down to a tasty two-course meal with either a starter and a main or a main and dessert to line your bellies before you party the rest of the night away? You can tuck into a tempting set menu with traditionally Irish dishes and other European faves. You’re spoilt for choice on a hen night in Dublin!

The Temple Bar - 47-48 Temple Bar, Dublin, D02 N725

Cool and quintessentially Irish, this mega famous bar is in the heart of Temple Bar and offers a warm welcome, a range of delicious drinks and pub grub. Not to mention that it’s won Traditional Irish Music Pub of the Year for more than 10 years. It’s probably the most iconic bar in town, and if it’s a traditional Dublin pub you’re after, this one is hard to beat.

Bad Bobs - 35-37 Essex Street East, Temple Bar, Dublin, D02 Y891

Right in the heart of Temple Bar, you’ll find party hotspot Bad Bobs, the perfect place for an epic night out. With five floors, a night here can be whatever you want; you can throw your best shapes on the dancefloor, chill out on the roof terrace or sip on cocktails in a quiet corner. The choice is yours.

There’s never a bad time of year to go on a hen do in Dublin! Whether you’re a party animal or a culture vulture, there’s always something going on in the Irish capital.

TradFest

TradFest takes place in January, showcasing the cream of the crop of Irish and international traditional and folk artists with performances, concerts, sessions and workshops. Did we mention that lots of the events were free?

St Patrick’s Day

St Patrick’s Day turns into a whole weekend of partying as more than 100,000 descend on the city to enjoy the epic St Patrick’s Day Festival in March. This celebration of Irish history and culture features dazzling parades, performances from top musicians and dancers, arts and crafts activities and a food and drink fair. The city looks gorgeous as the streets, buildings and public spaces are illuminated by green lights.

Marlay Park

Music fans should head to Marlay Park in July for Longitude Festival. Here you can watch of the world’s best hip-hop, R&B and dance acts perform for your entertainment. July also hosts the annual Vodaphone Comedy Festival where more than 100 stand-up comedians from Ireland and all over the globe come to the stage to make everyone LOL.

Dublin Fringe Festival

The city comes alive during these two weeks in September with live performances, music, dramatic arts shows and exciting new ideas. You never know what you might discover at Dublin Fringe Festival.

Bram Stoker Festival

Get into the mood for some spookiness with a hen do in Dublin in October not just with Halloween but with the Bram Stoker Festival, dedicated to the Dubliner and Dracula creator with three fun days of fancy dress parades, walks, talks, plays, screenings and live music. Let’s hear your best Dracula laugh!

Getting to Your Dublin Hen Do

Getting to Dublin is easy and can be done at a value for money price. The easiest way to get there from England is to fly…unless you’re really good at swimming! The flight from London to Dublin is around an hour and 20 minutes or just over an hour from Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow airports.

There are loads of direct flights and airlines that’ll take you to your Dublin hen party. You can even travel to the Emerald Isle by ferry. It takes between 8 and 9 hours to sail across from Liverpool. And did we mention that it takes just under 2 hours to drive from Belfast to Dublin.

Getting Around During Your Dublin Hen Do

With so much rich, local culture, you’ve got to get out and explore on foot on your hen do in Dublin during the day or night. This is a great way to find some hidden gems and to encounter the famously friendly locals.

Alternatively, you can easily jump on the tram system, called Luas, which has two routes. The city is also served well by buses and, if you fancy a cycle, you can take advantage of the city’s self-service bike rental system.