Introduction
Getting together with the ladies for a weekend of chilling out, sightseeing, sipping wine and, generally, getting away from the stresses of life is one of the best things ever. If you fancy living it up on the Emerald Isle and immersing yourself in all things Irish, here are our top 5 spots for a girl’s weekend away in Ireland.
1. Galway
Galway sits on the west coast of Ireland, jutting into the clear waters of the Atlantic. It’s the 4th largest city in the Republic with a resident population of around 83,000 people. Amongst other things, Galway is known as the festival capital of Ireland due to the sheer number of parties they host. There are more than 100 each year, including a comedy festival, Galway Races, an International Oyster Festival and the world-famous International Arts Festival, which last for a full two weeks. For a girl’s weekend away, there’s no end of things to do in the city proper, like visiting the historic sites, living it up in the Latin Quarter, and enjoying the lively atmosphere at the bars and restaurants lining Quay Street. If you fancy going a bit further afield, Galway is a great base for day tripping to sights, like the Burren and Cliffs of Moher UNESCO Geopark, Connemara National Park, or the sights of Wild Atlantic Way.
In terms of activities, as Galway sits on the west coast, there’s plenty of choice for the adventurers. Kayaking, paddle boarding and surfing are popular activities to make the most of the location. On land, you can challenge your girlfriends to paintballing, bowling, archery or bubble-ball. For evening entertainment, food and drinks are aplenty throughout the city, with a huge range of different cuisines, including traditional Irish, obviously. We personally love An Pucan, a traditional pub offering great food, drinks and a chance to mingle with all the Galwegians you can handle.
2. Cork
Famous as the foodie capital of ROI, Cork is the place for anyone who enjoys good food in gorgeous surroundings. Cork is the second largest city in Ireland and has a population of around 200,000 people. For a girl’s weekend away, there’s a whole raft of activities to get involved in, along with gorgeous accommodation and, given its reputation, options for dining are plentiful and high quality. Cork started life as a small island, so it’s connected by many bridges and is divided by waters of the River Lee. Cork is steeped in history and has many historic attractions, such as the Cork County Gaol, Crawford Municipal Art Gallery, Elizabeth Fort, and the incredible St. Fin Barre Cathedral. On top of all that, Cork is famous for being a university town, and the stunning buildings and campus at University College Cork are another great place to spend some time.
Aside from its history and top sights, there are many other ways to pass the time on a girl’s weekend away in Cork. For outdoor enthusiasts, you can indulge in a little clay pigeon shooting, paintball (so, shooting at humans…), go-karting or even jousting like a Gladiator. If you’d rather someone a little less of an adrenaline rush, there’s always gin afternoon teas, or nude drawing classes. Or both, if that’s your thing. Accommodation is plentiful and there’s a good range from basic hostel rooms to plush high-end hotels and apartments with views across the river. Quality food is everywhere you look in Cork and the city is home to one of the best food markets in Europe. Within the gates of the English Market, you can find and some of the best food Ireland has to offer. With fresh fruit and veg, to cheese, chocolate, duck and spiced beef, Cork isn’t called the foodie capital of Ireland for nothing.
3. Dublin
We’re not sure how much we have to say about Dublin that hasn’t already been said but let’s start with the basics: It’s the capital of Ireland and its largest city. Dublin sits on the east coast of the nation and has a population of around 1.4 million people (in the wider metro area). Dublin is well known for producing a raft of literary geniuses, like James Joyce, Oscar Wilde, Maeve Binchy, Bram Stoker and Roddy Doyle. It’s also *fairly* well known for its musical talent, producing legends like Phil Lynott, Joe Elliot and, of course, Jedward. We jest of course. We’d mention U2 but we still haven’t really forgiven them for that whole iPhone thing where we got their album as a Christmas gift from Apple and literally couldn’t delete it. Anyhoo, Dublin! For a girls weekend away, it rivals any European capital city in terms of the culture, the sights, the food and the craic.
Outside the top sights of the city, which include Trinity College, the Guinness Storehouse, Dublin Zoo, The National Museum of Ireland, and the beautiful St Stephen’s Green, there’s lots of fun to be had wandering around their famous statues, and no one can really say they’ve spent the weekend in Dublin without shopping on Grafton Street and enjoying the nightlife in the city’s Temple Bar area. If you haven’t had a glass of Guinness in Ireland, you honestly haven’t lived. You’ll no doubt have heard that it doesn’t travel well and it’s absolutely true. You could think it’s horrible in Helensburgh but it’s nothing short of delightful in Dublin. But before you hit the town at night, why not try out a pole dancing class, a whiskey blending experience, or afternoon tea on a vintage bus? For resting your weary heads, you’ll find everything from cheap and cheerful budget hostels to ultra-chic boutique hotels. Ah, go on. Go on, go on, go on.
4. Carrick-on-Shannon
Carrick-on-Shannon is the largest town in County Leitrim and has a resident population of around 4,000 people. Despite being small, the town has a big reputation for hen and stag nights and is a popular destination with sailors and holiday cruisers, who dock their house boats along the waterways while they spend time exploring the area. Being based on the River Shannon and with such a love of boats and sailing, Carrick has earned itself the nickname as the Cruising Capital of Ireland. However, it’s not just the water that makes it a pleasant place. Carrick has such a draw; it made a list of 20 of the best places to live in Ireland in 2021. In town, there’s a great focus on Irish design in lovely independently owned stores, and fresh sea food and hearty Irish stews are in abundance in the pubs and restaurants.
If you’re after a lazy girls weekend away, there’s the option of wandering around town, visiting the Dock Art Centre, the Famine Graveyard and the Irish Taj Mahal. We’re not even kidding. In the town centre, Europe’s smallest chapel pays tribute to a man’s love for his wife. More formally known as Costello Chapel, it’s affectionately known as the Irish Taj Mahal and is the perfect embodiment of the word ‘wee’. Early afternoon is the perfect time for a spot of cruising down the river – and in a town famous for its boats, you don’t have to work hard to find a vessel willing to let you hop on board. If you fancy something move participative, why not try a spot of kayaking, or even head off into the forest to fly through the air on a zip line?? Evenings in Carrick are for enjoying drinks and dancing and, as Carrick has a reputation as a hot spot for hen and stag parties, you know you’re in for a good time. For local accommodation, there’s a great choice of self-catering properties, as well as cute weekend glamping pods. Carrick-on-Shannon is a memorable place for a memorable girl’s weekend away.
5. Kilkenny
The city of Kilkenny sits in the south-east of Ireland on the River Nore. It has a population of around 8,000 and the local people are known as Kilkenny Cats in an apparent nod to their tenacity and fighting spirit. Kilkenny is a medieval city, and its history can be seen in many gorgeous historic buildings – none more outstanding than one of the most photographed and famous building in Ireland: Kilkenny Castle. Being a river-based city, there’s an abundance of activities to indulge in on your girl’s weekend away. From cruising the Nore, to kayaking or paddle-boarding, you’re sure to find yourself a new hobby to take away with you. If getting soggy ‘ain’t really your thing, forget the wetsuit and explore the history of the city through its castle, St Canice Abbey, the Dominican Priory, and Rothe House and Gardens. You can also learn the history by walking the Medieval Mile. If you have any crazy cat ladies in your group, Kilkenny’s Catwalk is bound to please. The Catwalk is a sculpture trail of cats (obviously) produced by may local artists to bring a smile to the faces of local and visitors. You must hurry for this, though, as its only in place until April 2022 when the furry felines will be auctioned off to raise money for local charities.
If you’re up for a giggle and fancy yourself as the real-life equivalent of Jack Taylor, why not book your ladies a murder mystery dinner or tour? If you’d rather be the real life equivalent of Shane McGowan, then how about a party night with shots and lots of dancing. Kilkenny has chic bars and traditional pubs to cater to everyone’s tastes and give you a real taste of Ireland during your girl’s weekend away. Food wise, being Irish, you can be sure of heaty stews and delicious braised meats. However, Kilkenny caters for every taste and has many quality European and Indian restaurants, using local ingredients to produce quality dishes. In terms of accommodation, small parties might like the charm of a local guesthouse, while larger parties may opt for a local hotel, like the pretty Hibernian, or head out yonder and enjoy the experience of glamping in the stunning countryside.
Conclusion
No matter which destination you pick for your girls weekend away, we’re sure you’ll have a blast!
