What’s the best thing about your friend getting married you ask? No, it’s not all the dressing up, it’s not the fact that she’s going to live happily ever after, and it’s not that it’s probably going to be the best day of her entire life. Why, it’s the hen party of course.
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Throwing a hen party is probably one of the most exciting aspects of being a bridesmaid, and while most of us would love to jet off to a huge European city like Berlin or Budapest for the celebrations, more often than not in today’s economic climate, that just feels impossible, so we have to stay on our own turf.
But that’s not necessarily a bad thing because Ireland is great too and we have these cultural, stunning cities that are full of life, full of adventure and of course, full of beer.
So we have compiled a list of locations on this beautiful Emerald Isle for you and your girl’s to get a little loco!
Kilkenny
Kilkenny is notably one of the most popular destinations for hen and stag do’s in Ireland and it’s really obvious to see why that is. For one, it’s located in the famous Sunny South East so it’s perfect for summer do’s, and as well as that, it’s only a 90 minute drive from Dublin, and there’s loads and loads of bus services all over the country to get there.
Kilkenny as a City is extremely easy on the eyes with it’s rich medieval architecture, it’s also steeped in culture and history so there’s always loads of touristy things to do during the day to ease yourself into the night that’s ahead of you.
As a popular tourist town in its own right, there is plenty to see and do around the place. Likewise there is a large number of great pubs and restaurants to eat that are worth checking out. There are activities like paint-balling, karting, cocktail making, clay pigeon shooting, archery and much more are at your doorstep. Kilkenny is well served when it comes to hotels and accommodation so try to find a deal for groups.
The City has a very active nightlife at the weekends and the bars and nightclubs are always brimming with people from all aspects of life.
The most popular late bars in Kilkenny are Langtons, Lanigans, The Field, Matt The Millers and Morrisons. If you’re looking for the craic, you’re sure to find it in these spots.
Galway
The city of Tribes is a busy bohemian city on the west coast of Ireland. Known for having a chilled vibe and strong traditional roots, it is a great location for any party. The town is an established tourist destination and the streets can be bustling on a nice day and of course everyone is given a warm welcome.
Galway – CycleIreland
Galway offers plenty of accommodation, bars, clubs and things to see and do. A lot of the bars play live music and there are also plenty of bars with a bit of trad music. There is almost too much choice in Galway, but some of the best and most popular bars include: Roisin Dubh, Bierhaus, Monroes, The Quays, The Front Door, O’Connells and The Kings Head.
If you’re looking for nightclubs then check out Karma, Coyotes or Carbon.
Lahinch
While not everyone’s choice for a stag or hen, this seaside village, on the west coast of Ireland, is a very popular spot for the type of hen party that don’t really want to go wild, but want to chill and relax for a weekend. The beauty of this place is that everything is conveniently close together and you can go from one end of the village to the other in a few minutes.
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Lahinch is one of the best spots in the country for a bit of surfing so it’s well worth a try if you’re there and it’s a great activity during the day for you and your girls. Alternatively you can try your skills on the golf courses although pitch-and-putt may suit the majority. One of the other great things about Lahinch is that you’re very close to top tourist spots like the Cliffs of Moher. So if you fancy a day trip, there is lots to see in the area.
Great bars in Lahinch to visit are Kennys, Flanagans and Danny Macs but you should be able to visit the majority of pubs if you fancy a pub crawl. In addition, it’s worth noting that Lahinch is probably best suited to smaller hen groups but there is still plenty on offer for any size of stag or hen party.
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