HER Outdoors Week 2024 /  by ellie berry

It’s 7am and I’m looking around the boot of my car one last time before I hit the road. I’ve packed for every spot imaginable, swimsuits and wetsuits pilled beside trail runners and climbing harnesses. I pat the plaits on my head, check I have snacks, and hit the road. It almost feels like my first day of school.

A few hours later I’m walking up the stairs of The Avon in Blessington, reminding myself that if I can climb mountains on my own, I can walk into a room by myself. Stepping into the bright lounge I look around at the mix of women surrounding me, and feel myself relax at what I see. HER Outdoors Week is back!

2024 is the fourth year of the week-long Sport Ireland event, HER Outdoors Week. The aim of this week is to celebrate the benefits of being in and exercising in the outdoors, and bring visibility to female participation in sport and physical activity. Knowing how much I gain from the outdoors, this is a week that I love being involved in, and will happily shout from the rooftops about!

My day at The Avon with Sport Ireland was a day to bring together different women in the Irish outdoors and sporting bodies, to celebrate, connect, and share experiences. The photos within this article are all from that day, taken while we tried our hands at archery, air-rifle shooting, climbing, zip-lining, and kayaking.

How to get involved

HER Outdoors week is to help more women find their space in the outdoors. To do that, Sport Ireland work with local sport partnerships (LSP’s), NGB’s (National Governing Bodies, which are the organisations that manage different sports on the national level - such as Athletics Ireland, Canoeing Ireland, or Mountaineering Ireland), and outdoor facilitators, to provide as wide a variety of events as possibly within each area. These events are often free or subsidised to make them as affordable as possible.

Find events near you:

  1. Check out the Her Outdoors Events Map
    You can filter by activity type, or set a distance from your chosen location to see what’s on in your area!

  2. Look up events organised by your Local Sports Partnership

  3. Look up events organised by the NGB of the sport you want to try

My top tips for finding events this year: many of the NGB’s and LSP’s are doing the booking for events through Eventbrite. If you find your Local Sports Partnership on Eventbrite see if they have a collection of events dedicated to HER Outdoors Week, or just scroll through all their upcoming events.

Events listed on the HER Outdoors Events Map 2024

My Favourite Events by County

To give you some inspiration and a snapshot of what kind of events you can find all across Ireland this week, here are my top events per county!

Carlow

  1. 13th & 17th: Kayaking Adventure from Goresbridge (€21)

  2. 14th: Paddle-boarding & Outdoor Yoga

  3. 15th: Social Cycle along the Barrow Track (€6)

Find the Carlow Sports Partnership events here

Cavan

  1. 14th: Open Water Swim Camp (€20)

  2. 16th: Teen’s Day - Try Orienteering, Athletics and Triathlon (€6) or Day at Tanagh Outdoor Adventure Centre (€25)

  3. 16th: 6 Week Outdoor Yoga Programme (€25)

  4. 17th: Mountain Biking Taster (€15)

  5. 17th: Map Reading Skills for Walkers & Hikers (€17)

Learn more about HER Outdoors Week in Cavan here, and find the Cavan Sports Partnership events here

Clare

  1. 13th: Teenage Girls Tag Rugby (€10)

  2. 13th & 15th: Intro to Rock Climbing 13th & Intro to Rock Climbing 15th (€15)

  3. 15th: Sailing at Kilrush (€10); Kayaking at Mountshannon (€5); or Open Water Swimming at Kilkee (€5)

  4. 17th: Surfing at Spanish Point Beach (€10)

  5. 24th: Beginner Caving Workshop (€20)

Find the Clare Sports Partnerships events here

Cork

  1. 14th: Try Fishing (free)

  2. 14th: Try Orienteering (free)

  3. 15th: Try Beach Volleyball in Marina Park (free)

  4. 17th: Traditional Currach Rowing (free)

  5. 17th: Beach Lacrosse in Inchydoney (free)

  6. 17th: Improvers’ Mountain Navigation (€15)

Learn more about HER Outdoors Week in Cork here, and find the Cork Sports Partnership events here

Donegal:

  1. 13th - 17th: Try out Triathlon in Bundoran / Open Water Swimming techniques (to register contact Martina Coughlin 086 0826612)

  2. 14th: E-Bike Cycling at Downings (€10)

  3. 15th: Stand Up Paddle Boarding in Moville (€10)

  4. 15th: Kayaking in Kilcar and Kayaking in Gartan (€15)

  5. Forest Walk , Campfire & Dip in St Johns Point Beach on 24th and Ards Friary on 25th (€10)

Learn more about HER Outdoors Week in Donegal here, and find the Donegal Sports Partnership events here

Dublin

  1. 14th: Disc Golf Workshop (free)

  2. 14th: Mountain Biking in Ticknock (€10)

  3. 14th: Yoga in Fernhill Park (€5)

  4. 15th: Intro to Mountain Navigation (€15)

  5. 15th & 16th: Intro to Rock Climbing 15th & Intro to Rock Climbing 16th (€15)

  6. 17th: Lucan BMX Club

Because Dublin has three different councils:

Galway

  1. 13th: Morning Swim & Breathwork Workshop (€4)

  2. 14th: Orienteering in Merlin Woods (free)

  3. 17th: Sunset Paddle to Innis Lacken (€12)

  4. 18th: Intro to Mountain Navigation (€15)

Find the Galway Sports Partnership events here

Kerry

  1. 17th: Kayaking in Sneem (€10)

  2. 17th: Intro to Mountain Navigation (€15)

  3. 18th: Kayaking in Listowel or Kayaking in Killorglin (€12)

Find the Kerry Sports Partnership events here

Kildare

  1. 13th: HER Outdoors Festival

Find the Kildare Sports Partnership events here

Kilkenny

  1. 21st: Get Her Kayaking, Graiguenamanagh (€20)

  2. A 4-week Outdoor Adventure Programme for teenage girls in Castlecomer Discovery Park

  3. 15th & 16th: Rock Climbing on the 15th or on the 16th (€15)

  4. 17th: Castlecomer Mountain Biking (€15)

Find the Kilkenny Recreation & Sports Partnership events here

Laois

  1. 13th: Women’s Social Kayaking

  2. 14th: Girls SUP-ing in Vicarstown (€20)

Find the Laois Sports Partnership events here

Leitrim

  1. 14th: Teenage Kayaking Session at Lough Rinn (free)

  2. 14th: Glencar Escarpment Hike (€7)

  3. 16th: Outdoors Activator Pole at Lough Rinn (free)

Find the Leitrim Sports Partnership events here

Limerick

  1. 13th: Clay Target Shooting (€5)

  2. 13th: free Ballyhoura Hike at 10am from Darragh Creamery, no registration required

  3. 13th & 15th: Dragon Boating - contact amandapublicrelationsLD@outlook.com for booking

  4. 14th: free Kilmallock Walk at 11am from library, no registration required

  5. 15th: Mountain biking (€5)

  6. 16th: Yoga at Lough Gur (€5)

  7. 17th: HER Outdoors Festival, 3pm - 7pm at O’Brien’s Park, no registration required

Learn more about HER Outdoors week and find booking links for Limerick Sports Partnership here

Longford

  1. 15th: Archery (€5)

  2. 16th: Inclusive Kayaking (€5)

  3. 17th: River rafting (€5)

  4. 18th: Archery (€5)

Learn more about HER Outdoors week and events happening in Longford here

Louth

  1. 14th: Introduction to Nordic Walking (€5)

  2. 16th: Cooley Heritage Walk (€5)

  3. 16th: Intro to Open Water Swimming at Salterstown Pier or at Priest Beach Blackrock (€5)

  4. 16th: Kite Design & Flying Workshop for Teens with Additional Needs (€5)

  5. 17th: Sunset hike in the Cooleys (€10)

  6. 17th: SUP-ing at Port Beach (€10)

  7. 17th: Day at Carlingford Adventure Centre for Teens (€20)

  8. 18th: Intro to Archery for Teens (€5)

Find out about the events with Louth Sports Partnership here

Mayo

  1. 14th: Guided Hike with Achill Outdoor (€6)

  2. 15th: Yoga & Cycle Castlebar (€5)

  3. 16th: Intro to Trail Running (free)

  4. 16th: Improvers’ Mountain Navigation (€15)

Find the Mayo Sports Partnership Events here

Meath

  1. 13th: Orienteering at Deerpark, Carlanstown (free)

  2. 14th: Archery for Women and Girls - to book email athboyarcheryclub@yahoo.com

  3. 14th: Try Canoeing in Trim (free)

  4. 15th: Inclusive Canoeing with Ribbontail Paddlers (free)

  5. 15th: Outdoor Pétanque for Women 50+ (free)

  6. 17th: Women’s Cycle on the Boyne Valley Greenway (free)

Find more info on the Meath Sports Partnership events here

Monaghan

  1. 13th - 15th: Women’s Woodland Wellness Walks. Each day a different location, book here (free)

  2. 15th: Family Orienteering Event (free)

  3. 13th & 18th: Touring Kayak of Dromore River (free)

Find more links to the Monaghan Sports Partnership events here

Offaly

  1. 16th: Chair Yoga & Mindfullness

  2. 13th & 14th: Kayaking on the Grand Canal

Find our more abut Offaly Sports Partnership events here

Roscommon

  1. 13th: Inclusive Tennis Taster (free)

  2. 13th: Outdoor Boccia & Bowls (free)

  3. 14th: Come Try Golf in Strokestown (€5)

  4. 16th: Park Fit Workout in Lisnamult (free)

Find more of the Roscommon Sports Partnership events here

Sligo

  1. 13th: Guided Carrowkeel Hike (€15)

  2. 15th: Guided Night Hike through Cairns Hill (€10)

  3. 17th: Intro to Mountain Navigation (€15)

Find more links to the Sligo Sports Partnership events here

Tipperary

  1. 14th: Intro to Dragon Boating (free)

  2. 14th: Ladies Aqua Splash (€5)

  3. 17th: Intro to Mountain Biking (free)

  4. 18th: Intro to Navigation (€15)

Find more about HER Outdoors Week in Tipperary here, and find out more about events here.

Waterford

  1. 14th: Intro to Scrambling Skills (€15)

  2. 15th: Adventure Walk at Glenshelane Woods (€3)

Find the Waterford Sport Partnership events here

Westmeath

  1. 13th: Try Pitch & Put in Collinstown (free)

  2. 14th: Try SUP Yoga on Lough Ennell (€10)

  3. 14th: Try Orienteering in Athlone (€5)

Find the Westmeath Sports Partnership events here

Wexford

  1. 13th: Try Orienteering in Wexford Town (€6)

  2. 15th: Adult Mountain Biking Taster Session (€5)

  3. 15th: Teens Mountain Biking Taster (€5)

  4. 17th: Teens SUP at Forth Mountain (€5)

Find more info and book Wexford Sport Partnership events here

Wicklow

  1. 13th & 16th: Mountain Environment Hike 13th & Mountain Environment Hike 16th (€15)

  2. 15th: Greystones Beach Festival - Intro to Sea Swimming; Beach Volleyball; Tug of War; Beach Olympic Handball; Beach Tennis; Water Safety Talk.

  3. 16th: Intro to Mountain Navigation (€15)

  4. 16th: Walk N’Talk Arklow (free)

  5. 18th: 3x3 Basketball Bray (free)

Learn more about and find Wicklow Sports Partnership events here



National Governing Bodies Events

Below you’ll find the list of National Governing Bodies who are organising events across Ireland as part of HER Outdoors Week. Note - many sports partnerships are running events, so while you might not see the NGB you are interested in below, that does not mean that the sport you’re interested in isn’t being facilitated.

  1. Mountaineering Ireland HER Outdoors Week Collection

  2. Cycling Ireland Events List

  3. Canoeing Ireland: main info page, all events are listen in the Sport Ireland Activities Map

  4. Athletics Ireland: info page, with participating clubs listed

  5. Rowing Ireland: info page with direct links to event registration

  6. Swim Ireland: info page with direct links to event registration

  7. Triathlon Ireland: Women in Sport Tri Leader Course

Find the full list of recognised NGB’s in Ireland here, and find the list of Local Sport Partnerships here.