When did stags and hens become a thing in Ireland?

A Pint of Goo · 22-05-2018 12:29AM #1

It seems to me that at some stage we imported this ****ty British 'lets go ****ing mental' stag culture, but when? I've been on a bunch of them and every one of them was a over hyped, enforced fun, waste of money endeavor. It's just a boozy Saturday night out with extra 'mad craic'.

So when did it become part of Irish culture?

VainHard Bendix · 22-05-2018 12:32AM

A couple of months before the wedding.

bazz26 · 22-05-2018 12:38AM

Sounds like somebody never got invited to a stag or hen party.

Hitman3000 · 22-05-2018 12:42AM

A Pint of Goo wrote:

So when did it become part of Irish culture?

Went to a stag 20 years ago in Ennis and it was mad craic so as far as I know at least 20 years ago. Have been on several since different levels of madness but can't see what this English influence is.

Its all alt right · 22-05-2018 12:44AM

Kilkenny 40 or so years ago.

thebull85 · 22-05-2018 12:44AM

Its an excuse for a weekend away from the misses, whats not to like?

Tell me how · 22-05-2018 12:50AM

Deer (stags) were here a while ago but went extinct about 10,000 years ago before they were reintroduced (via a buy it now auction on eBay) 5,500 years ago.

Hens, apparently only arrived within the last 800 years or so.

Off to read the OP now.

arybvtcw0eolkf · 22-05-2018 12:51AM

Jasus, I'd a crazy stags probably (can't remember the date, couldn't care less) almost thirty off years ago.. They're not a new fad.

pleas advice · 22-05-2018 12:54AM

after the last ice age, i'd say

A Pint of Goo · 22-05-2018 12:55AM

thebull85 wrote: »

Its an excuse for a weekend away from the misses, whats not to like?

Nothing in theory, it's just the whole 'we've got to be even bigger mad eeejits than the last time' that gets me. Can't we just go for a nice meal?

prinzeugen · 22-05-2018 12:55AM

A Pint of Goo wrote: »

It seems to me that at some stage we imported this ****ty British 'lets go ****ing mental' stag culture, but when? I've been on a bunch of them and every one of them was a over hyped, enforced fun, waste of money endeavor. It's just a boozy Saturday night out with extra 'mad craic'.

So when did it become part of Irish culture?

Is it a "British" thing though? I always thought the getting pissed before a wedding thing came over from America during WW2.

And it was always the night before the big day, not weeks before.

Or is this another "Bloody Brits" thread?

A Pint of Goo · 22-05-2018 12:57AM

prinzeugen wrote: »

Is it a "British" thing though? I always thought the getting pissed before a wedding thing came over from America during WW2.

And it was always the night before the big day, not weeks before.

I've always seen it as a Brit thing. Was talking to my parents today (married in the 70s) and it didn't exist in their day.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 22-05-2018 12:57AM

A Pint of Goo wrote: »

Nothing in theory, it's just the whole 'we've got to be even bigger mad eeejits than the last time' that gets me. Can't we just go for a nice meal?

I've noticed that only seriously boring people ever take that attitude, read into it what you will.

As to why? Well, it's tradition. And the Irish do love their traditions (and other peoples' too from time to time)...

prinzeugen · 22-05-2018 01:00AM

A Pint of Goo wrote: »

I've always seen it as a Brit thing. Was talking to my parents today (married in the 70s) and it didn't exist in their day.

Ireland in the 70s was like Ireland in the 1800's. Probably could not afford it anyway.

A Pint of Goo · 22-05-2018 01:00AM

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

I've noticed that only seriously boring people ever take that attitude, read into it what you will.

As to why? Well, it's tradition. And the Irish do love their traditions (and other peoples' too from time to time)...

But when did it become our tradition? In my experience this tradition involves getting wasted in a dive in Kilkenny surrounded by knackers and waiting for someone to say, '**** it lads, back to the hostel'.

Hitman3000 · 22-05-2018 01:09AM

A Pint of Goo wrote:

I've always seen it as a Brit thing. Was talking to my parents today (married in the 70s) and it didn't exist in their day.

Already commented, but asked my dad had he a stag. The answer was yes back in '68 oddly he wouldn't go in to detail but the stag was an all Irish affair.

StupidLikeAFox · 22-05-2018 01:14AM

Hitman3000 wrote: »

Already commented, but asked my dad had he a stag. The answer was yes back in '68 oddly he wouldn't go in to detail but the stag was an all Irish affair.

Was that due to low immigration rates or was he just a racist?

Noodles81 · 22-05-2018 01:22AM

I agree Pint of Goo, they are a waste of time and money. The few I went to I enjoyed as I was up for them at the time. Plenty more I declined as I couldn't be arsed. I did have fun but that's because we were locked by about 2pm and in a drunken haze. Forced fun requires copious amounts of alcohol imo.

Now I've a chronic condition, don't drink or smoke and I hate the thoughts of them. Despite not going out anymore due to my illness, I'm still expected to be up for a 2 night hen this autumn because my best friend is getting married. I'm not having a hen myself nor is he having a stag ( we marry in July) But the looks we get when we tell people this and I explain I'm not able for it and he doesn't want one.

As you said what's wrong with a meal and a few drinks with friends and family. Why do we have to appear to be "mad bas#$rds" before we get married... even if we aren't???? Each to their own but I don't see the point of them, especially the ones abroad.

Hitman3000 · 22-05-2018 01:37AM

StupidLikeAFox wrote:

Was that due to low immigration rates or was he just a racist?

1968 who the f**k was comimg to Ireland other music acts?

whisky_galore · 22-05-2018 02:55AM

A Pint of Goo wrote: »

I've always seen it as a Brit thing. Was talking to my parents today (married in the 70s) and it didn't exist in their day.

We deride the 'Brits' (and Yanks) yet we keep copying their traditions...

I suppose the Irish tradition was to save the stupid drinking for the wedding reception and afters?

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 22-05-2018 11:20PM

A Pint of Goo wrote: »

But when did it become our tradition? In my experience this tradition involves getting wasted in a dive in Kilkenny surrounded by knackers and waiting for someone to say, '**** it lads, back to the hostel'.

Probably about the same time it became a tradition in the uk. In my experience it generally involves a European city though, or a Spanish island.

The Crowman · 22-05-2018 11:38PM

One thing I've noticed lately with hen parties I've encountered is the lot of them wearing masks made from a big blow-up photo of what I presume is the groom to be's face. The effect is creepy.

FanadMan · 23-05-2018 02:16AM

whisky_galore wrote: »

I suppose the Irish tradition was to save the stupid drinking for the wedding reception and afters?

.....and the next day, and the day after if it's a bank holiday weekend. Each wedding I've been to seems to add on another day.

jamesbere · 23-05-2018 02:45AM

The Crowman wrote: »

One thing I've noticed lately with hen parties I've encountered is the lot of them wearing masks made from a big blow-up photo of what I presume is the groom to be's face. The effect is creepy.

Yeah I've seen that aswell. It's a bit weird.

JupiterKid · 23-05-2018 03:52AM

I'd reckon they've been around since the 1970s or early 80s. My godmother had a hen party and her hubby to be had a stag in 1985 when I was 10 years of age (I was the ring bearer at the wedding) - but they were much simpler affairs back then - just a local pub and a sing song with close pals. None of this going to Prague and Amsterdam and dressing up malarkey.

If I ever get married - which will be a same-sex marriage (so who is the hen and who is the stag??) I'll just have a nice dinner out with close friends. Since I don't drink any more there will be no boozy mad shenanigans. I've been to plenty of stags of mates before and most have been the same old same old.

freshpopcorn · 23-05-2018 03:57AM

I think lots went out for a drink in the past before the wedding and some grooms over did it as some still do now the night before.(Brides the odd time).
I think the big tacky Hens/Stags really took off in the late 1990's/early 2000's!

pconn062 · 23-05-2018 08:56AM

A Pint of Goo wrote: »

Nothing in theory, it's just the whole 'we've got to be even bigger mad eeejits than the last time' that gets me. Can't we just go for a nice meal?

Sounds like it's a problem with your mates rather than stags in general. I've only been to a few of my close friends stags (and my own) and they all consisted of nice meal/few drinks/good catch up. No acting like eejits or stupid activities.

Stonedpilot · 23-05-2018 09:12AM

See them 8pm matching t shirts and fake blow up mickey in tow by 2am all battering the heads off each other.

One thing gets me. Why do they have to be so crass and lewd? Woman could be a Dr and still falling around polluted with L plates on and a sash. Bizarre.

scopper · 23-05-2018 09:32AM

A Pint of Goo wrote: »

It seems to me that at some stage we imported this ****ty British 'lets go ****ing mental' stag culture, but when? I've been on a bunch of them and every one of them was a over hyped, enforced fun, waste of money endeavor. It's just a boozy Saturday night out with extra 'mad craic'.

So when did it become part of Irish culture?

Since like the 60s. When do you think they were invented? I'm genuinely curious how you didn't think they were ancient

scopper · 23-05-2018 09:33AM

A Pint of Goo wrote: »

Nothing in theory, it's just the whole 'we've got to be even bigger mad eeejits than the last time' that gets me. Can't we just go for a nice meal?

Dude, they might be lying to you.

Hector Bellend · 23-05-2018 10:22AM

whisky_galore wrote: »

We deride the 'Brits' (and Yanks) yet we keep copying their traditions...

I suppose the Irish tradition was to save the stupid drinking for the wedding reception and afters?

And the marriage.

When did stags and hens become a thing in Ireland?

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