41 Reasons Why Dublin Is Amazing!
What's in a name? - The name 'Dublin' comes from the Irish 'Dubh Linn' which means 'black water'. Back then it referred to the river rather than the Guinness.
10,000,000 - That's how many pints of Guinness are produced in Dublin on a daily basis, so you can rest assured that it's highly unlikely that the bars will run out.
Pub Life - Dublin is widely considered the finest party city in the world and after an evening out during your Dublin hen party you'll definitely see why. Friendly locals, top tunes, hilarious shenanigans and of course "the craic".
Vikings! - The city was founded by Vikings, declaring the town the 'Norse Kingdom of Dublin'. That explains why some of the men are so beardy!
The Lingo - The locals speak what is commonly known in Ireland as 'Dublinese', which is a surprisingly fluent mixture of Irish slang and swear words.
Literary locals - Hugely successful writers born in beautiful Dublin include modernist giant James Joyce and Nobel Prize laureate George Bernard Shaw.
Big Drinkers - Dubliners drink a total of 9800 pints an hour between 5:30pm on a Friday and 3:00am the following Monday. Who's still on it at 7am?!?
Westlife - The boys of Westlife are oh-so-handsome and provided one of our first glimpses into the joys of Irish men. The blonde hair, the blue eyes and that gorgeous brogue made hits like Flying without Wings all the better.
Jonathan Rhys Meyers - Any actor that can make us fancy Henry VIII is worth celebrating. The fact that one of the most gorgeous actors ever also has that accent... Swoon!
Lillie's Bordello - If you've got a cute cocktail dress then this bar is the place to flaunt it! Lillie's is equal parts quirky and glamorous, and the cocktails are simply 'Mmmmmm'.
The Brazen Head - This delightfully antiquated pub is simply beautiful, it's thought to be the oldest in Ireland! You can enjoy a hearty glass of red amongst The Brazen Head's truly atmospheric surroundings while listening to the sexy Irish accents.
Sinead O' Connor - She's an absolute babe and she's a Dublin girl born and raised! Nothing Compares to You has been the soundtrack to many a teen breakup here at GoHen HQ.
Club M - This futuristic club is absolutely brilliant. Whether you're enjoying mixers with the girls on the balcony bar or getting down with the locals on the vibrant dance floor, you'll have a fantastic time in Club M.
Irish Show - Help yourselves to an entertaining dose of Irish culture on your Dublin hen party with our exciting and vibrant Irish Show featuring world champion dancers and hilarious comedy acts. See more...
U2 - One of the most successful bands of all time are Dubliners. Tunes like Beautiful Day, With or Without You and I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For solidified this Dublin band's place in the annals of rock history.
The Commitments - One of the most famous bands that never were, also hailed from Dublin. Based on Roddy Doyle's hilarious novels the band have spawned a movie, CDs and even a West End musical.
Wright Venue - You can't go wrong when it comes to clubbing on a Dublin hen do with a night in this awesome superclub. Spectacular dancers take to the podiums and those smooth-talking Irish guys aren't going to chat up themselves!
Guinness Tour - If the nearly-wed is partial to a pint of the black stuff then she'll love this phenomenal brewery. Learn how to pour the perfect pint and enjoy a tasty brew in the amazing Gravity Bar.
Colin Farrell - Take the world's sexiest accent give it to the dreamy Colin Farrell and you've got the perfect drinking partner. He can do the talking, we'll just listen to the accent and watch his cute smile... Sigh...
Trinity College - The architecture is stunning, but the highlight of this college is its astoundingly successful alumni. Previous students include Bram Stoker, Jonathan Swift and Oscar Wilde.
Powerscourt Centre - Some of Dublin's best fashion, beauty, antiques and delicious bites to eat all under one roof! Find out more...
Size Matters - Dublin's 'mountains' aren't mountains at all. The tallest one by the name of 'The Sugarloaf' barely sits 423.3 meters above sea level.
Distillery Tour - There's a few things that the Irish do really well; Beer, dancing, music, men and of course, whiskey! Discover what makes this timeless classic so delicious with our insightful distillery tours. Read more...
Big City - The city covers a land area of 44.5 square miles, that's a lot of Dublin to love!
Bright Young Things - Dublin has the youngest population in all of Europe with 50% of all the city's residents being less than 25 years of age. That explains why the clubs and bars are always so buzzing then!
Jedward - Weird and certainly wonderful, Jedward shocked the nation in 2009 during their X-Factor run and even entered the Eurovision Song Contest in 2011 and 2012.
666 - It's not the number of the beast, it's the number of licensed pubs there are in this fabulous city, making it the perfect location to nestle in with the girls for a quiet drink before a few loud ones.
Guided Pub Crawl - Let our experienced guides show you which pubs are hot so you can dodge what's not on your Dublin hen party on our amazing pub crawl. See more...
Stay-at-home-kids - According to a recent poll, the average 25 year old Dublin girl still lives at home. They'd much prefer to spend their cash on clothes, going out and cars. You go ladies!
The Great Irish Bake Off - Dublin's biggest ever caked weighed a stupendous 190lbs and was baked to celebrate the 1988 city millennium. It was thrown out in 1991 without having even been cut into... What a waste of cake!?!?
The Duke of Leinster - A local historical figure with real sass, he built his house on the dramatically unpopular South side and when he was quizzed as to why he simply quipped, 'where I go, fashion follows me'. Today the city's trendiest areas are in the South!
'Chancing your arm' - This popular phrase's origins are deeply rooted in quirky Dublin culture, as 'chancing your arm' originally referred to putting your hand into a deep hole to open the medieval chapter house door of St. Patrick's Cathedral.
Super Miss Sue - This fabulous restaurant is the place to go for kitsch décor and some of the city's tastiest seafood dishes and a perfect way to kick off a night out.
St. Patrick's Day - There really is nowhere better to enjoy this emerald green festival than Dublin. The city is awash with festivities come the 17th of March and the clubs and bars go all out to celebrate.
Pampering Day - If the bride-to-be is feeling the pressure of her impending nuptials then she'll love this fabulous day of de-stressing in one of the city's best spas. See more...
George's Street Arcade - This beautiful arcade is Victorian in design but uber-chic in content as this cute building houses some of the city's best independent shops.
Michael Gambon - Professor Dumbledore is from Dublin! Michael Gambon enjoyed star turns in Harry Potter, The King's Speech and Layer Cake.
The Workshop - Formerly known as 'Kennedy's', this old workshop now specialises in engineering tasty dishes to tantalize even the most tested taste palettes. Ideal to stop off during a hard day of retail therapy.
Burlesque Lessons - Dublin's burlesque lessons are sultry, sexy fun that will make the girls feel fantastic about themselves and who knows, you could learn a few tricks and turns to impress your man back at home...
Samantha Mumba - If that name seems familiar, it's probably because you remember getting down to this Dublin artists hit single Gotta Tell You in the golden year of 2000!
Top Tweeters
Dublin Life - Beautiful Dublin captured in photos by the creative people who live there.
Lovin Dublin - The best restaurants, events and deals in the city in one helpful place!
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Visit Dublin - The complete tourists guide to this party loving city.
Dublin Event Guide - Dublin's one-stop-shop for the city's best free events.
- 1. Eclectic mix of great markets, from Flea Markets to Designer Markets
- 2. Striking surroundings, including Howth and the Wicklow Mountains
- 3. Fabulous ladies horse racing days
- 4. Trinity College's Old Library - striking and rich in history
- 5. Irish bars and pubs, with their fantastic, friendly atmosphere
It's time for a hen party in Dublin!
Top of the morning to you, ladies, and if it's craic you're after, then you needn't look any further than Dublin, one of Europe's - and indeed the world's - finest cities. As a renowned party city it's is a veritable haven of hospitality, so set sail for the Emerald Isle and a magical Dublin hen do!
What's so good about a Dublin hen party?
What isn't good about it? With so much to see and do in this striking city, you and the girls are spoilt for choice of ways to spend the hen weekend in Dublin. Ireland's largest city is hugely popular with tourists due to the huge number of top attractions and sights around the city. Its status as the capital city and long history means there's plenty of culture to soak in too! Dublin's said to have the youngest population in all of Europe, so it's a prime location for a celebration, with plenty of party goers around! There are also over 666 licensed pubs and bars in the city for drinking and general revelry at night, as well as over 30 fantastic activities to keep you busy during the days too!
What to do in Dublin?
Plenty! There's a reason Dublin attracts so many tourists, and we've tracked down the best fun-filled activities in the city for hens to try and enjoy! We've got nearly 50 different activities and nightlife options going on around the city, so you've got a great selection of ways to enjoy the city available to you. The horse racing in Dublin is amongst the best in Europe, and you can keep it speedy with greyhound racing - or race round the tracks yourselves with go karting. The key to a great Dublin hen party is balance, so why not try something energetic or outdoors in the morning like a dance class, then a spa treatment or pampering session in the afternoon to recover, before heading out for a meal and a show in the evening? And top off the night by hitting the town - the locals are incredibly friendly, and it's not unusual to hop on the bar and have a sing along with everyone in the pub, experiencing real Irish Craic.
When's the best time for a Dublin hen do?
There isn't a bad time for hen weekends in Dublin, its lively and action packed all year round - no matter what time you go you can be sure of a fantastic, eventful hen party. The New Year begins with the Temple Bar TradFest. Temple Bar is one of Dublin's top hotspots at night, and in January it celebrates all that's best of Irish culture with plenty of music and drinking in this award winning celebration! Spring brings in one of Ireland's most famous festivals - St Patrick's Day is the perfect opportunity to get out and paint the town red... or, uh, green! Hotels and hostels are booked out at this time, so book with GoHen to ensure you don't miss out on the festivities. Events and festivals then run all through the summer months, with the calendar highlights being the Fringe Festival and Oktoberfest. Through winter you can head to cosy, charismatic pubs and bars, enjoying the great atmosphere as well as the Dublin Christmas Market at the Square Shopping Centre.
Dublin shopping areas & recommendations
Dublin's an excellent shopping destination, so don't forget to factor in some time for picking up a few souvenirs and trinkets to remind you of your time with the girls in Ireland. No matter what part of the city you head to, you'll find a great range of shops and retail outlets. As one of the Europe's most fashionable cities the clothes shops and designer boutiques are endless - head to the central shopping district which runs from O'Connell Street to Grafton Street for one of the best shopping areas in Ireland. A quick stroll through Jervis Shopping Centre or the Powerscourt Centre, then wander the lanes of Temple Bar for unique shops and boutiques before stopping off at Castle Market for stalls and small shops.
To get all the girls there
The easiest way to get in from England is to fly in; there's an airport a few miles north of the city centre. There are various bus transfers from the airport to the city, which are very frequent, sometimes as often as every 15 minutes during peak times. From a few ports in mainland UK (Liverpool and in Wales) it's possible to get a ferry to Dublin. For travelling across Ireland, Dublin has two main railway stations that run rail services connecting to most major cities and destinations across the country.
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