14 of the best hen party ideas in Dublin

For a classy type of a hen, wine tasting in Ely is a gorgeous setting for a hen. Set in a converted Georgian mansion in central Dublin, you get to try four different (generous) glasses of wine, which are picked based on the weather and whatever bottles piqued the team’s interest that day. It makes for a more interesting wine tasting, than some of the more formulaic ones that choose very fixed grape varieties/wine styles. Sommelier Ian chatted with us about each glass in great detail, discussing wine-making processes and tasting notes. ⁠There’s also some excellent cheese and charcuterie sharing plates because you gotta know how the wine tastes with the food yanno. ⁠It’s on most Wednesdays during the Summer (check their website for all the dates), but get in touch with the folks there who are always happy to do once-off events for larger groups. ⁠

South William Street, more info here

A Dublin institution that some might be more familiar with spending time in when they were mitching off school. It’s a deceptively big pool hall with table tennis facilities too. It’s pretty reasonable costing €15 or €20 per hour depending on the day, plus it’s BYOB (bring your own bottle). Attempting to play pool while sinking some cans is genuinely the dream, hen or no hen.

Rainforest Adventure Golf, Dundrum town centre, more info here

A tried and tested way to spend an enjoyable afternoon, where armed with some novelty-sized golf clubs over the course of an absurd course you'll all be laughing your asses off. This rainforest-themed indoor golf spot is suitable for all ages, but that is no guarantee on who can get the ball in the hole (wahay). Plus an afternoon spent in Rainforest Adventure Golf is always time well spent (at least you can get your frustrations of who didn't pay up on time or who is being awkward in the group chat, by whacking the golf ball).

Anyone who grew up going to birthday parties in Leisure Plex will be familiar with the rite of passage that was decorating a bowl, mug, soap holder, you name it, at the institution known as Pompeii Paints. While Q-Zar and bowling were of course a bitta craic too (although did anyone else experience complete annihilation when finding themselves on the Green Team playing Q-Zar, because the system was definitely rigged) getting invited to a Pompeii Paints party was something else – peak Celtic Tiger behaviour. Opened back in February the new studio is open Thursday to Sunday to the public, but also available for private hire seven days a week. There are 11 different ceramic items you can choose to paint, and with the assistance of the staff, you’ll have a gorge new piece for the mantelpiece. All pieces are fired in the kiln and ready for collection within a few weeks, so you'll have something to remember the day by!

We’ve all seen that strangely wholesome scene in Season Two of Sex Education where Maeve, Ola, Lily, Olivia, and Viv try to help Aimee get her rage out by smashing a car to bits – we might not quite understand why it feels good to smash stuff to literal smithereens, but it can’t be denied that it’s therapeutic, and now we can experience it for ourselves in Dublin, with Ireland’s first Rage Room. It’s a space to de-stress, and naturally, given the name, to unleash your inner rage, also a space where you can see just how violent the soon-to-be bride really is (cute). A speaker is provided so you can choose exactly what soundtrack you rage to, and the smashable items include anything from glassware and crockery to printers, TVs, monitors, and copiers. You can even bring your own items to smash if this is more cathartic to you – or you just have some ugly kitchenware that you’ve been looking for an excuse to get rid of. A session in the Rage Room lasts 20 minutes and can hold between one and three people inside. Participants will be supplied with the appropriate gear for the experience, and inside the room, there will be 25 small smashable items and three medium smashable items. The session costs €35 per person and you must be at least 18 years old to enter the Rage Room.

You might have seen the distinctive yellow and blue bus roaming around the streets of Dublin, with a pile of guffawing happy customers plonked into seats chowing down on tiny sandwiches. Hoping on the vintage Routemaster buses (old London Transport), while having your afternoon tea and listening to some 1950s crooners, is truly an amazing way to spend a few hours in the city (rain, hail or shine). The buses even have names Pauline, Kitty and Jean which are named after the owner’s Grandmothers and great auntie) because they used to welcome everyone into their home for tea and cakes whether you were the postman or the Pope. A truly unique Dublin experience, go with your mam, go with a gaggle of hens, have your wedding on there or drag the work crew along for some team bonding. The bus boards from Stephen’s Green, and the tour runs for 70-80 minutes where you journey all around the city centre (passing all the sights like Christ Church, Trinity College, St. Stephen’s Green, Wood Quay, O’Connell Street, Phoenix Park, and the grand buildings of Georgian Dublin). This is a semi-guided tour, so expect to hear some favourite Dublin stories from your host while also having plenty of time in between for a catch-up and gossip. Catering to all dietary requirements, the afternoon tea is available in either traditional, vegetarian, gluten-free, dairy-free or vegan afternoon tea, with prices from €49.50pp for adults and €27pp for kids.

Axe Club, Gaelic Street, more info here

If you fancy a more endorphin-fueled hen night, flinging axes around the place might be a good shout. About a 10-minute walk from Connolly Station, grab an axe (don’t grind it) throw it at the target, then with all that frustration thrown out of you, before heading for dinner and drinks afterwards. It’s an affordable enough night, coming in at €27 per person for a 1-hour session.

If the bride is musically inclined, Karaoke is surely a no-brainer for their hen. Plus the beautiful thing about karaoke is that the rest of the hen party don't even need to be able to sing, they are just there to applaud the bride. It's the perfect opportunity for them to perfect their take on the classics from Seal, Barry White or even Chappell Roan, ahead of the wedding. Grab a bite to eat from the delicious Maneki kitchens before entering into the private groovy karaoke room for the night to sing and smooch to your heart’s content.

Lucky Tortoise, Temple Bar’s Asdill’s Row, more info here

For all our foodie followers, this Dumpling-making workshop is a great combination of activity and food. You can book it with the sound as a pound team at Lucky Tortoise through their Instagram page. Included in the night is a welcome drink, a demonstration from chefs, the chance to eat what you’ve made and even a prize for the best-made dumpling. The team also cater to vegan and vegetarian participants on the night.

With five trips between Dublin City Centre, Dún Laoghaire and Howth departing each day, Dublin Bay Cruises, located on Sir John Rogerson’s Quay, Grand Canal Dock is a class idea for a day trip. Hear commentary and enjoy a tipple from the on-board bar, while you sail across Dublin Bay, learning about the history of Dublin via landmarks like Dún Laoghaire Harbour, the James Joyce Martello Tower, Dalkey Island, Bull Island Nature Reserve, Baily Lighthouse, Ireland’s Eye Island and loads more. Pack your rainjacket and a bobbin ‘cos it can get windy out there!

Enjoy a fun (and informative) cocktail-making class in your own private candlelit cocktail bar. You’ll learn how to make some classic and modern cocktails and have a laugh with the other chicks at the same time. The classes cater for groups of six to twelve people and are available, the team are happy to teach the basics or get more advanced depending on the group's level. There's a range of different prices and packages, depending on how many cocktails you want per person (helpful depending on how liquored up you want 'em to get!).