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Best towns in Northern Ireland for Stags

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    #62
    The One Doctor
    Registered Users Posts: 2,339 ✭✭✭The One Doctor


    sambowden wrote: »
    Hey,
    Organising stag for late in the year, probably going to head up North as it has a better chance of pubs being open then. If its all closed down then so be it, we will cancel, but if they are open I'm trying to figure our best options.

    Ideally somewhere with good pub per square mileage in one central location. Thinking of a medium sized places, along the lines of Carrick or Kilkenny, where everything's pretty central.

    Am thinking the likes of Enniskillen, Omagh, Derry, Newry but have no clue the quality of nightlife in any of them!

    Anyone have any suggestions, even random spots that I probably wouldn't have even thought of!!

    Seriously? A bunch of Southern drunk lads in the heart of Firebombland?

    You'd have a brick heaved at your head in ten seconds flat.

    Go to Kilkenny or whatever, don't be an idiot.


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    #63
    duffysfarm
    Registered Users Posts: 846 ✭✭✭duffysfarm


    try Newry. Just across the border and has some good night life


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    #64
    sambowden
    Registered Users Posts: 31 ✭sambowden


    duffysfarm wrote: »
    try Newry. Just across the border and has some good night life

    Cheers ya, definitely in our top 3 now I think. Although as most of us are coming from North West region it would be a bit of a spin, but not much further than the rest. Being so close to Carlingford is also a bonus, on the outside chance pubs are open there too, could do a night in each.


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    #65
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 13,712 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    sambowden wrote: »
    Cheers ya, definitely in our top 3 now I think. Although as most of us are coming from North West region it would be a bit of a spin, but not much further than the rest. Being so close to Carlingford is also a bonus, on the outside chance pubs are open there too, could do a night in each.
    Yeah I'd give another vote for Newry. Can be a bit on the rough side, and I wouldn't even venture as far as Carlingford since that will probably mostly be closed except maybe for beer gardens, but there are some great bars out the road in Warrenpoint or even Rostrevor (basically the same town) that would make a good base.

    Both are very friendly, vibrant towns on the lough, even more picturesque than Carlingford. They don't have Carlingford's stag party credentials but they're only minutes from Newry nightclubs and have some exceptionally good pubs. You won't get any of that tribal, political stuff there either.


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    #66
    Nqp15hhu
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,254 ✭✭✭Nqp15hhu


    Strawberry Milkshake wrote: »
    I think Portrush would be a good spot to go to. There’s a good few bars, restaurants and a nightclub all in close proximity to each other.

    I don't think so.


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    #67
    JupiterKid
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 12,571 Mod ✭✭✭✭JupiterKid


    As someone who was born in Belfast and has most of his wider family up North, I have a good idea of the places where a stag do would be good craic - but be mindful of everything closing between 1 and 1.30am.

    Derry city, Portstewart, Portrush, Ballycastle, Enniskillen (a fantastic and very classy town with fantastic water activity options on the Loughs Erne and the Marble Arch caves nearby), Newcastle, Armagh town, Portaferry and Bangor. Belfast had some great night spots around the Cathederal Quarter and Dublin road/Shaftesbury Square areas, but I haven’t been out drinking in Belfast for over 5 years. Bangor is also a good spot.

    Avoid North Armagh and South Antrim at all costs.

    Also bear in mind that you can get verbal aggression in staunch republican places as well as unionist and loyalist places, all best avoided.

    Enniskillen in Fermanagh would be your best bet. Newry has never been a town (sorry, city :pac: ) I have liked.


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    #68
    The J Stands for Jay
    Registered Users Posts: 5,650 ✭✭✭The J Stands for Jay


    chosen1 wrote: »
    I've been to a stag in Omagh before and had a great night.

    We were staying at an outdoor adventure centre closer to Ballygally but went to Omagh for the night out. There's a complex in the town that has a number of good bars all and the street they are on is roofed off and gated in.

    Know plenty on here have said you won't be welcome but I've rarely experienced this up north. I'd say alot depends on your attitude to begin with and I've been made welcome from both sides up there.

    As a number of people have said, closing time is much earlier than down south so be prepared and be stocked up wherever you are staying for when you get back.

    Todd's Leap and Main Street?


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    #69
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    Depending on which part of the Republic you're from, have you considered Portaferry?

    It's a bit ... er, rustic, but there are half a dozen really good pubs, and if you hit the right one the closing time is honoured more in its breach than its observance. Obviously if there are seventy of you, it won't be for you, but a dozen? Might be worth considering.

    It's right by the seaside, it's a beautiful part of the county, you get to go on a boat (which is always class), and the Game of Thrones filming place is nearby (the castle where the wee fella got pushed off the tower by the young fella who was riding his sister).

    I'd a great time there recently when I went for a weekend last summer.

    It's one of those "****e but good" places.


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    #70
    The J Stands for Jay
    Registered Users Posts: 5,650 ✭✭✭The J Stands for Jay


    sambowden wrote: »
    From checking out hotels for our dates it looks like I can shortlist it to Derry, Omagh, Enniskillen, Portstewart, Portrush & Armagh. Any of those stand out?

    I'd give portstewart a miss, not enough suitable pubs. I believe main nightclubs on Portrush are shut down now. Derry is worth going to, assuming the pubs reopen.

    As for the early closing, just start earlier.


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    #71
    The J Stands for Jay
    Registered Users Posts: 5,650 ✭✭✭The J Stands for Jay


    pgj2015 wrote: »
    I thought the bus driver was still on it?

    still though, you would never have something like that happen in the south. even in the roughest parts of Dublin.

    Had it happen in Santry, but it was a load of fireworks and they missed the open door of the stationary bus.


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    #72
    Lewis_Benson
    Registered Users Posts: 1,882 ✭✭✭Lewis_Benson


    SharpshooterTom wrote: »
    Why do people act like its Syria or Baghdad? The rioting usually takes place in ****hole estates in the outskirts of towns that tourists never venture into.

    What Boards has taught me is how many people in south have such an inaccurate and ignorant views on the North.

    People criticise the English for being ignorant over Ireland some people in ROI equally have dumb and frankly idiotic views about NI.

    Unfortunately some of the stupidest people live In ireland.


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    #73
    The J Stands for Jay
    Registered Users Posts: 5,650 ✭✭✭The J Stands for Jay


    salonfire wrote: »
    That nightclub in Portrush is closing as far as I know.

    Lush! is closing, and I believe the other (****hole) nightclub, trax, is long gone.


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    #74
    bucketybuck
    Registered Users Posts: 18,097 ✭✭✭✭bucketybuck


    JupiterKid wrote: »
    Enniskillen in Fermanagh would be your best bet.

    Enniskillen has no nightlife worth talking about. The likes of Blakes or Charlies are grand for pints with friends if that is what somebody is after, but for a stag party? I can't see them enjoying it much, it just isn't a stag party type of place.


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    #75
    chosen1
    Registered Users Posts: 412 ✭✭chosen1


    McGaggs wrote: »
    Todd's Leap and Main Street?

    Yea that's them.

    Todd's leap was a great setup.

    Couldn't remember the name of the complex but it was unique to anything I've seen in Ireland.


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    #76
    joe40
    Registered Users Posts: 3,811 ✭✭✭joe40


    I think your best bet would be Derry or Belfast. The other towns might be have OK pubs but I don't think they would be set up for a stag party. Obviously depending on how boisterous you intend to become.

    It has been a few years since I've been to Belfast but I found it very good for nightlife. It is a compact city so easy to get around.


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    #77
    JupiterKid
    Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators Posts: 12,571 Mod ✭✭✭✭JupiterKid


    Aongus Von Bismarck wrote: »
    Northern Ireland has a handful of excellent golf courses and a pleasant coastal drive. There's very little else to recommend about it. Belfast is a dour and grey little city, and you can almost smell the bitterness and resentment off the place. Everything closes early as well, and we found ourselves back at the bar at the Fitzwilliam at 12.30 to get a night cap. Certainly wouldn't recommend it for a stag.

    What I've always found surprising about people from Northern Ireland is they consider themselves really friendly. Preposterous. The much-vaunted Ulster Fry tends to be little more than a plate of grease and cheap pieces of highly-processed pig meat.

    Dreadful part of the world.


    I wouldn’t expect anything less of you, AVB - for you to let us all know that you look down your nose at Northern Ireland, or pretty much anywhere and anyone in Ireland full stop. :rolleyes:

    I happen to know from direct experience that the North has many great places to visit, socialise and have a night on the town. And aside from the hardline loyalist/republican areas, most Nordies ARE very friendly.


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    #78
    Fionn1952
    Registered Users Posts: 3,369 ✭✭✭Fionn1952


    bucketybuck wrote: »
    Enniskillen has no nightlife worth talking about. The likes of Blakes or Charlies are grand for pints with friends if that is what somebody is after, but for a stag party? I can't see them enjoying it much, it just isn't a stag party type of place.

    Blakes and Charlie's both lovely for a few pints with friends.....a stag do would rapidly be out on their ear.

    As much as Enniskillen is a lovely place to visit, like you said, certainly not a stag do town.


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    #79
    PokeHerKing
    Registered Users Posts: 4,224 ✭✭✭PokeHerKing


    I've only ever been overnight in Belfast, all other towns I've only ever played a round of golf or grabbed lunch/pint passing through.

    Belfast is a great spot, never had an ounce of trouble up there but I've also never walked into any pubs brandishing Union Jack's etc. Much different feel to Dublin, has a bit more of continental vibe to it imo.


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