Things to do in Dublin for a birthday

By Go City Expert
Published: July 18, 2024
Rock n Roll museum

Cheers to Another Year: Dublin's Top Picks for Birthday Fun!

by Mia Russell

Another year, another birthday, and it’s time to start planning that celebration again! Whether planning festivities for yourself, a friend, or that special someone, finding a way to make this milestone feel distinct from previous years can be challenging!

Sure, you could go the traditional route and arrange a dinner date with your friends, but where's the excitement in that? Dublin has many unique and thrilling activities that can usher in another year of life, and they extend far beyond the ordinary meal at the local Italian restaurant.

From sipping afternoon tea while on a guided bus tour to indulging in an axe-throwing extravaganza, these fun ideas for celebrating a birthday in Dublin unquestionably outshine the more typical birthday festivities.

So, grab your party hat, and let's explore the best things to do in Dublin designed to help the guest of honor blow out those candles in grand style!

Rock Your Birthday at the Irish Rock 'n Roll Museum!

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If you're a fan of rock 'n roll and looking for a memorable way to celebrate your birthday in Dublin, then look no further than the Irish Rock 'n Roll Museum Experience. It's a celebration that combines music history, interactive fun, and the thrill of discovering the legends that put Ireland on the global rock 'n roll map. Get ready to sing, dance, and celebrate another year of life in style! Rock on!

If you or your friends are into rock music, this place is a treasure trove of iconic rock history. It's like stepping into the shoes of rock legends. You'll explore the lives and music of legendary Irish rock stars like U2, Thin Lizzy, and more. The museum features interactive exhibits, memorabilia, and a recording studio where you can jam with your friends. The highlight is the guided tour led by passionate rock experts who share fascinating stories about the country's music scene.

You can't help but feel like a rock star as you explore the museum, interact with the exhibits, and even record a song in the studio. It's an immersive experience that keeps the energy up. Celebrating your special day among rock memorabilia and hearing incredible stories about Irish rock legends adds a unique touch to your celebration.

The tour usually takes around 90 minutes, making it a perfect activity for a birthday outing! Remember to use your pass for free entry to the Irish Rock 'n Roll Museum Experience.

Enjoy a Vintage Tea Trip

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Looking for a unique and delightful way to celebrate your birthday in Dublin? Turn back the clock and hop on a vintage double-decker bus for a scenic tour of Dublin's most famous landmarks and a spot of tea!

Soak up Dublin’s historic sites like Trinity College, Dublin Castle, Christ Church Cathedral and learn the rich history of the city as you sip tea and nibble on scrumptious pastries and sandwiches. Starting near the iconic St. Stephen's Green, the tour typically lasts 1.5 to two hours, giving you plenty of time to soak in the city's charm and enjoy your tea!

Solve a Thrilling Mystery for Your Birthday with the Murder by Temple Bar Experience

Are you looking for a birthday celebration that's out of the ordinary, filled with suspense, and bound to leave you with unforgettable memories? Look no further than The Murder by Temple Bar! It's a fun, immersive experience with you playing detective while celebrating your special day.

This thrilling experience turns you into a real-life detective as you and your friends work together to solve a gripping murder mystery. The adventure includes exploring Temple Bar's hidden corners, gathering clues, and interacting with costumed characters who bring the story to life. The mystery unfolds unexpectedly, keeping you and your group engaged and, on your toes, - it's like stepping into a suspenseful movie plot and becoming the hero.

Head to one of the many restaurants or pubs in Temple Bar after solving the mystery to toast to your successful detective work and enjoy a birthday drink!

Use your pass to enjoy free admission to The Murder by Temple Bar experience.

Raise a Glass to Your Birthday on a Whiskey Tasting Tour

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Toast to another year of life with a fine Scotch on a fun whiskey tour with your friends! Head for the hills of the Wicklow Mountains and enjoy a real taste of authentic Irish whiskey in the beautiful Irish countryside on a Powerscourt Whiskey Distillery Tour.

An hour’s drive from Dublin's city center, Powerscourt Whiskey Distillery is nestled on the spectacular Powerscourt Estate, with a historic mansion and magnificent gardens. This tour takes you on a captivating exploration of the whiskey-making process. You'll learn about the art of distillation, the aging process, and the meticulous craftsmanship that goes into creating fine Irish whiskey. The tour also includes tastings of Powerscourt's signature whiskeys, allowing you to savor the rich flavors of this beloved spirit.

The tour is a top choice for celebrating with friends who appreciate learning about the history and craftsmanship of whiskey. Plan for approximately 1.5 to two hours to fully enjoy the tour and tastings. After the tour, explore the rest of the Powerscourt Estate and enjoy dinner at a nearby restaurant to continue your birthday festivities!

Remember to use your pass to enjoy the Powerscourt Whiskey Distillery Tour for free!

Celebrate Your Birthday with a Bang at Dublin's Musical Pub Crawl!

Hey there, birthday star! If you want to have a blast and make your special day unforgettable in Dublin, the Musical Pub Crawl is your golden ticket. It's not just a pub crawl; it's a lively, musical journey through the heart of Dublin that'll have you dancing, singing, and toasting another fantastic year.

The Musical Pub Crawl kicks off in the heart of Dublin, typically from a central location like Temple Bar. This unique pub crawl is led by talented musicians who double as your guides. They'll take you to some of Dublin's finest traditional Irish pubs, where you'll enjoy live performances of Irish songs, jigs, and reels. You'll also learn about the history of Irish music, instruments, and cultural significance.

The crawl usually lasts around 2.5 hours, giving you ample time to soak in the musical magic and celebrate your birthday in style. The live music is the heart and soul of this experience. It creates an electrifying atmosphere, making it perfect for a birthday celebration.

You'll have the chance to explore some of Dublin's oldest and most authentic Irish pubs, meet new people, and connect with fellow travelers. It's a fantastic way to celebrate with your friends in a vibrant, friendly atmosphere.

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New year fireworks in Dublin.
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Things to Do on New Year's Eve in Dublin

Dublin is one of those cities that was born to party. St Paddy’s Day, pay day, your nan’s birthday: every one of them a valid excuse for a good time. And New Year’s Eve is no exception, as the city erupts with parties, concerts and fireworks galore. But that’s not all: there’s also plenty to keep you occupied before you make a beeline for Temple Bar in the evening, from Grafton Street’s Boxing Day sales to medieval literary artifacts and bracing walks in the chill winter air. Indeed, Dublin has so many great attractions that there’s absolutely no way you can see them all in one day. With that in mind, here’s our guide to some of the best things you can do on New Year’s Eve in Dublin. In the Morning...Trinity College If you’re only going to tick off one or two of Dublin’s bucket-list landmarks today, make Trinity College one of them – trust us when we say your IG feed will thank you for it. We’re talking atmospheric cobbled quadrangles that once rang with the footsteps of such illustrious alumni as Samuel Beckett, Oscar Wilde, Aisling Bea, Jack Gleeson and, um, Chris De Burgh. Hum The Lady in Red to yourself as you admire the ultra-photogenic neoclassical architecture of the buildings that flank the courtyards and dot the grounds. Buildings like the Campanile, said to portend exam failure for any student who happens to be passing beneath its arches when the bell tolls. And the ornate Museum Building, packed to its rafters with soaring marble columns and eye-popping carvings. A guided tour of the Old Library is pretty much essential while you’re here. Step into a Hogwarts-esque world of towering bookshelves and imposing marble busts of writers, philosophers and scholars that include Jonathan Swift, Ada Lovelace and Mary Wollstonecraft. It’s here you can view the Trinity College harp, an oak-and-willow beauty that dates back to the 15th Century and, of course the extraordinary Book of Kells, surely the most astonishing preserved medieval manuscript on the planet. Grafton Street Stop by to say hi to Molly Malone of ‘Cockles and Mussels’ balladry fame, who presides over Suffolk Street (in bronze statue form), then it’s onwards to Grafton Street. This shoppers’ paradise of big brands and iconic Dublin department stores like Brown Thomas and Weir & Sons will be in full Boxing Day sales mode on New Year’s Eve, so it's a great time to pick up that designer handbag or leprechaun fridge magnet you’ve always dreamt of. There are plenty of good lunch spots here, too. Or grab a takeout and eat on the go, catching some of the many buskers along the street on your way – Bono and Damien Rice kicked off their careers right here on Grafton Street dontcha know. In the Afternoon...St Stephen’s Green Exit the festival atmosphere of Grafton Street and make a beeline for the relative peace and tranquility of St Stephen’s Green, one of Dublin’s most celebrated open spaces. This lush Victorian idyll is all manicured lawns, formal gardens and cute duck ponds. Hug a cup of hot chocolate on a bench or wander the park’s 27 acres, spotting statues of Dublin’s great and good along the way: an abstract memorial to W.B. Yeats by sculptor Henry Moore, an imposing bust of James Joyce, and a fittingly grand monument to Sir Arthur Guinness, who bought, drained, redeveloped and landscaped the marshland that became St Stephen’s Green, before bequeathing it to the public. What a guy. The Guinness Storehouse Speaking of Guinness, no trip to Dublin would be complete without sampling a drop of the black stuff on its home turf. Of course, every single bar in Dublin serves Guinness, each accompanied by the bravado claim that theirs is the most perfectly poured pint in town. If you want to cast aside all doubt on that front, hit up the Guinness Storehouse on the site of the original St James’s Gate Brewery for a potted history of Ireland’s most famous export and a tipple or two in the space-age 7th-floor Gravity Bar, with its stunning 360-degree city views. But, as you consider that third pint, remember: New Year’s Eve is a marathon, not a sprint. And you haven’t even set foot in Temple Bar yet... In the Evening...Temple Bar Temple Bar is one of Dublin’s most iconic areas, a dense network of cobbled lanes lined with independent boutiques, cool galleries and rabble-rousing traditional Irish pubs. In terms of how hectic those pubs will be, New Year’s Eve is probably rivaled only by St Patrick’s Day as this neighborhood’s busiest night of the year. The most iconic pub here is the Temple Bar itself, with its colorful hanging baskets and distinctive red facade, but there are dozens of (probably marginally less busy) Irish bars to choose from. Expect welcoming craic, fine indie and folk music shindigs, and lots of hugging come midnight. And try to remain good-humored about the long queues to get a drink. As for getting a table: you’ve got no chance. National Concert Hall For a calmer kind of celebration, Dublin’s magnificent National Concert Hall hosts its annual performance from the RTÉ Concert Orchestra on New year's Eve, usually a rousing mix of well-loved pop hits, jazz standards, movie themes, and favorites from the musicals. There will be singing, laughing, hugging and, critically, a complimentary glass of bubbles and Auld Lang Syne sing-along as the clock strikes midnight. Advance booking for this musical extravaganza is, of course, essential. New Year’s Festival Dublin’s New Year Festival seems to grow bigger and better by the year. At time of writing it’s up to four days across three venues, with around 40 acts expected to perform. But you’ll probably want to be at Dublin Castle in the evening on New Year’s Eve, where you can expect live music from some of the biggest names involved, plus food trucks for much-needed sustenance and, of course, bars serving up more of the near-mandatory black stuff (other beverages may be available). It all rounds off with a spectacular countdown to midnight complete with epic firework display. Save on things to do in Dublin Of course the activities and attractions we’ve suggested are a mere snapshot of the myriad things you can do in Dublin on New Year’s Eve. There’s also a medieval castle, two picture-perfect cathedrals, umpteen world-class museums and a glut of whiskey distilleries to explore, as well as literary tours, botanic gardens and much more. Sticking around for a few days? A Dublin pass from Go City can save you money when visiting multiple attractions, including many of those mentioned above.
Stuart Bak
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Top 10 Dublin attractions

Melanie Lahmann
Bronze statue of Molly Malone in Dublin city center.
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3 Days in Dublin

Steeped in a history and heritage that takes in the Anglo Saxons, the Vikings and many towering titans of 20th-century literature, Dublin is one of those cities that screams ‘Culture’ with a capital ‘C’. Galleries, gardens and Guinness; castles, cathedrals and craic – Dublin has enough thrilling things to do to keep even the most jaded sightseer happy for days at a time. Dublin is also an eminently walkable city, with a compact center and relatively flat (if occasionally cobbled) terrain. But don’t let that stop you getting your bearings on a hop-on hop-off bus tour. As well as preserving your feet for bar-hopping in the evening, the tour comes with live commentary that’s full of blarney, and calls at an epic 23 (count em!) Dublin landmarks, including the castle, St Stephen’s Green, Kilmainham Gaol and the Jameson Distillery, to name just a few. Our guide picks out some of the best of these and wrangles them into an almost-manageable itinerary for your three days in Dublin. Dive in for our top recommendations, including: Dublin Castle Christ Church Cathedral The Molly Malone Statue The Book of Kells St Stephen’s Green Temple Bar Jeanie Johnston Tall Ship The Guinness Storehouse Day 1: Historic Dublin Our recommended first stop (whether exploring by bus or on foot) is Trinity College, the esteemed 16th-century Dublin seat of learning which counts such literary legends as Oscar Wilde, Samuel Beckett, Jonathan Swift and Bram Stoker among its alumni. Guided tours of Ireland’s oldest university give you the lowdown on these and other famous students as you stroll its leafy, cobbled squares and admire grand neoclassical buildings including the Campanile (pictured), Provost’s House and Chapel. Step inside the ornate Museum Building to admire its soaring marble columns, domed central hall and extraordinary carvings. On encountering the towering shelves of the Old Library’s atmospheric Long Room for the first time, you might be forgiven for thinking you’ve stepped straight into the pages of a Harry Potter novel. It’s here that you can observe the Book of Kells, a remarkable ninth-century manuscript that details the four gospels of the life of Christ and is the undisputed star of the Trinity College show. No trip to Dublin would be complete without snagging that all-important selfie by the bronze statue of sweet Molly Malone, fictional star of the old ‘Cockles and Mussels’ ballad, as she hawks her wares along Suffolk Street. We challenge you not to find yourself humming the tune to yourself as you head onto Grafton Street. This is Ireland’s premier shopping street, a pedestrianized cornucopia of capitalism that’s chock full of big-brand stores, plus dozens of bars and restaurants at which to pause for refreshment and watch the buskers and street performers. You never know, you might even spot Ireland’s next megastar – musicians including Damien Rice and Bono started their careers right here. After lunch, leave Grafton’s carnival atmosphere behind and make for nearby St Stephen’s Green, an idyllic Victorian oasis of manicured gardens, vibrant flower beds, and all manner of monuments and sculptures. Look out for Henry Moore’s abstract memorial to W.B. Yeats and the imposing bust of James Joyce and. You could even go full Dublin immersion mode and finally get around to tackling Ulysses (or at least a few pages of it) in a quiet spot by the duck pond. If you’re not yet all sightseeing-ed out, you might also consider squeezing in one of the nearby museums, among them the mighty National Gallery, Irish Whiskey Museum and Irish Museum of Modern Art (IMMA). But you came here for the craic as well as the culture, right? In which case, get ready for an evening of rabble-rousing Irish entertainment in the cobbled lanes of the Temple Bar district. The most iconic pub here is the Temple Bar itself, with it’s distinctive red facade, colorful hanging baskets and live bands. But really there are dozens of typical Irish bars to choose from here. We recommend bar-hopping to find the best craic, with an occasional dram of whiskey and/or pint of Guinness to keep your energy levels up! Day 3: Medieval Dublin and Mmmmore Guinness We’re going to take it a little more easy with a trip to Dublin’s medieval quarter on day two. And, yes, there will be more Guinness in the evening. But first up is 13th-century Dublin Castle, with its sumptuous state apartments, ancient Viking defenses, and beautiful castle gardens. Once home to the dark tidal pool (Dubh Linn) from which the city takes its name, the gardens now form an ornamental oasis perfect for strolling or simply watching the world go by. You’ll also want to make a pilgrimage to Christ Church Cathedral, the city’s oldest building at nearly 1,000 years young. There’s loads to see and do inside this medieval gothic masterpiece. Seek out the crypt with its ancient memorials and mummified cat and rat, immortalized in Joyce’s Finnegan’s Wake. Admire the vaulted ceilings and soaring stained glass windows, and pay your respects at the final resting place of Richard de Clare, 2nd Earl of Pembroke aka Strongbow. You can even view a rare copy of the Magna Carta and the heart of 12th-century saint Laurence O’Toole. Fascinating stuff. Cathedral fanatics can continue their religious experience at nearby St Patrick’s, named for Ireland’s legendary snake-hater. Or pop just next door to Dublinia where you can travel back in time to get a taste of what Dublin life was like in Viking and medieval times. Alternatively, having whet your appetite for Temple Bar last night (how’s the head, by the way?) it’s worth returning to for a mooch around its many independent shops, cute cafés and cool galleries. You were promised Guinness, so Guinness you shall now have. Hit up the Guinness Storehouse for your fix of the black stuff, accompanied by 360-degree views of the city from its 7th-floor Gravity Bar. You can also stock up on cans in the shop, where other souvenirs of your visit include Guinness coffee, Guinness cookbooks and Guinness apparel. Day 3: Immerse Yourself in Irish Culture On your final day in Dublin, it’s time to fully immerse in the city’s rich culture. And no, we don’t mean more Guinness. Today is the day to stop by one of the museums or tours you missed along the way. The National Gallery, with its extensive collection of art spanning the last seven centuries, including works by Rembrandt, Vermeer, Caravaggio, Goya and several Irish artists, is particularly good. Then there’s the Irish Whisky Museum – great for understanding Ireland’s long-standing relationship with the hard stuff – and the Jameson Distillery, great for sampling it for yourself. Join a literary walking tour that takes in the Dublin Writers Museum, Gutter Bookshop and a cozy pub like Toners, once frequented by Joyce, Stoker and Patrick Kavanagh. Looking for something a little less... highbrow? Visit King’s Landing and Winterfell and go beyond the wall on this studio tour of some of Game of Thrones’ most iconic locations. If you really want to get under the skin of Irish culture, we’d suggest choosing just one of these and pairing it with a visit to the aptly named EPIC Irish Emigration Museum and Jeanie Johnston Tallship. Between them these two fascinating museums peer deep inside Ireland’s soul. Go on a moving and revealing journey through Irish identity and heritage at EPIC and discover the tallship’s critical role in helping thousands of desperate people flee the Great Famine in search of a better life in North America. Save on things to do in Dublin Save on admission to Dublin attractions with Go City. Check out @GoCity on Instagram for the latest top tips and attraction info.
Stuart Bak
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