There are only two certainties in life, death and taxes, Benjamin Franklin once claimed, clearly forgetting about the obvious third – come January, people will take a notion and decide this is the year they’re going to return to a much-loved past hobby, or try something new altogether. The desire to fill a new year with something that sparks joy is as certain as night becomes day.
But fill it with what, you ask? What amazing hobbies are out there waiting to be experienced? Well, we have a selection here that might just whet your appetite and ignite your sense of adventure.
Axe throwing
Matt Levell stumbled upon axe throwing quite by accident. When he moved to Ireland, from England, in 2015, Levell set about trying to make new friends in a new country. As a lover of the outdoors, he met his friend Heath Dawson (who went on to become his business partner) at a nature course. And Dawson invited Levell to an axe-throwing event.
“It was just great fun,” Levell says. “We threw the double-bit axe, which is a large axe. It’s got a blade on both sides.” Axe throwing has taken Levell all over the world to various competitions, where he has met “an amazing bunch of people.”
So, what sort of people might axe throwing appeal to? “Anybody who wants to try something new, really,” says Levell, who runs Axe Club in Dublin and Glendalough. “We’ve had all types of people through the venue in Dublin ... older people doing it, people in wheelchairs, people who are blind – we’ve helped them – people who are deaf.
“There’s no barrier to entry. We want to be inclusive. Rather than saying, ‘No you can’t do it’, we say ‘Well, how can we do it?’”
If competition is your thing, there are two types of contest in axe throwing, Levell says. “The events in Dublin are really friendly competitions. You can be part of it or not. It’s all about fun and participation.”
International competitions are a little different, he explains: “When we started doing the competitions around 2019, in Sweden, there was probably maybe 50 people. They were pretty much all Swedish, and a couple of Germans. And then it kind of exploded. In the last world championships, in the UK, I think there was about 210 people.”
The people involved, “are just so nice”, Levell says. “Because it’s niche, because it’s slightly off the wall, you often get these slightly off-the-wall people. But they’re so welcoming,” he says. “What it’s done is it’s turned my perception of people around. It’s opened my eyes to a massive world.”
Is it a mostly male hobby? “The world champion is an Irish woman axe thrower,” Level says, referring to Sligo woman Ceola McGowan. While there are more men than women involved, Levell says a balance is beginning to emerge. “It’s probably 60:40 male-female.”
Friendship and camaraderie are not all that axe throwing offers, Levell explains. There are the physical and mental-health benefits too.
“It’s such a simple sport. It’s so basic and primal – and it’s not digital,” he says, referring to the advantages of stepping away from our phones. “People need to get off their phones and do something physical. Whether it’s going for a walk, whether it’s throwing axes, going for a cycle ride, [it’s important to] get connection. That’s what axe club is really good at.”
One misperception of axe throwing is that axes are thrown in rage, but Levell says the “exact opposite” is true.
“Any sport like that requires a bit of precision,” he says, adding that “the way it de-stresses you is through the focus of repetitive motion. What you’re doing is picking an axe up, putting it behind your back like you’re scratching it, throwing it ... the axe weighs the same as a litre of milk. It’s not heavy.”
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Levell explains that it’s really easy to get it stuck in and learn – “but it’s really hard to be really good”. The eagerness to get good, is what draws people in, he adds.
He’s hoping more people will give axe throwing a go, this year.
Wild caving
Pat Cronin is an archaeologist and seasoned caver. “I got involved in caving technically in 1967,” he explains, adding that it came about by “pure fluke”.
“A very dear friend of mine ... had attended a meeting of cavers and a friend of his had lost interest after two or three weeks. And walking into town, he knocked on my door and said, did I want to come along? That was a Friday evening and basically the following Sunday I was underground. I loved it.”
Cronin, who is an instructor and an honorary member of Pegasus Caving Club in Co Clare, says he has “grown into” the hobby. “There have been occasions where things have become slightly stressful, but I had some very good teachers,” he says.
Does he ever feel an element of claustrophobia? “No, I don’t find it claustrophobic. I don’t find ghoulies and ghosties and long-legged beasties [a problem]. My general attitude is I’m the most frightening thing down there. There’s nothing to harm me.”
Respect is important with caving, Cronin explains: “I’ve survived a number of situations because I’ve respected the cold, and I’ve respected the weather and I’ve respected the rain. I don’t fear anything. I risk assess.”
What might someone expect the first time they go caving? Cronin, who has recently taken a friend’s teenage son caving for the first time, says he prefers to let the new caver go first.
“Like previous occasions with new people, I took him to the entrance and said, ‘Right, off you go.’”
There’s a method in this apparent madness, Cronin’s rationale being that if you’re going to follow him down a cave passage, all you’re going to see is his backside.
“What good is that? Whereas if you go in front, you get the true feeling of the wonderful world of being underground,” he says. “And you’ll see the sculpture and the shape of the passages and rock decorations rather than seeing the back of me. You soon find out whether somebody is happy or not.”
Caving is not a hugely popular hobby, Cronin says, adding that he’s had difficulty finding people to take part in projects he’s been working on.
“There’s not a lot of people knocking on the door, which is mad because in Ireland we have some of the finest caving in Europe – in the world, in my opinion,” he says.
“I would say that the greatest number of people who have a passing interest in caving would be third-level students.” Freshers Week, in particular, is a popular time to see renewed interest. “We get some really good, talented kids in like that, but the problem is they complete their education and they’ve got to pay their bills. We’ve lost a lot of good people over the years to paying bills, education fees and getting married, and the demands of life.”
Cronin describes himself as “a bit of an addict”, when it comes to caving. So, what’s the appeal? “The unknown. What’s around the corner,” he says. “In the context of expeditions, it’s everything. It’s the build-up to it. It’s studying an area and then ultimately being able to find the cave and then present that to the locals.”
So what’s the attraction? “I enjoy the loneliness. I enjoy the company. I enjoy going where nobody else has ever been before,” he says. “I’m fascinated to know what’s around the corner.”
Cronin says caving brings in “all manner of people, from many, many different backgrounds.”
And while it was predominantly a hobby enjoyed by men, he says many more women have become involved in caving since the 1990s.
Aerial yoga
Aerial yoga instructor Suzanne Kenny has been teaching yoga for two decades, founding the first aerial yoga studio in Dublin 14 years ago. The studio, in Swords, is one of two she owns; the other is in the Wicklow Mountains near her home.
Describing aerial yoga as “a hybrid technique” that is “suitable for anybody”, Kenny explains that the activity incorporates elements of Pilates, aerial silks and callisthenics.
“What makes it totally different from regular yoga is each person has an aerial yoga hammock and each person in the room has their own hammock to work with,” she says.
Kenny trained under Christopher Harrison, a Tony award-winning aerial choreographer and creator of the performance group Antigravity, which has won over audiences at the Olympics, Barack Obama’s inauguration and the Grammys.
“He came up with the idea of looping the silk in this kind of a horseshoe shape for the dancers to use in their down time to stretch and do yoga with,” Kenny says.
When Harrison visited Ireland in 2011, Kenny got to train with him, an experience she describes as amazing.“Not long after I went on to open the studio in Swords,” she says.
In recent years, the practice of aerial yoga has gone from strength to strength in Ireland, with other studios popping up around the country, including in Clare, Cork, Limerick, Galway, Wexford, Kildare and Sligo.
What’s so great about it as an activity? For Kenny, “the strength side” of the practice is one of the highlights, coupled with “a huge fun element, which can be missing in a lot of things that we do in life”.
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“You’d leave on a high after doing a class where you’d be just like, ‘Oh, my God, I can’t believe I did that.’”
Another appeal of aerial yoga is its restorative nature. Speaking about the benefits gained from “hanging upside down”, using the hammock as an aid, Kenny says this has contributed to the activity’s fame.
“The science and the research shows that it’s decompressing and lengthening your spine and your back,” she says.
For those suffering from back pain or recovering from injuries in their neck and shoulder regions, aerial yoga can be “really beneficial”.
“On average, most people are a quarter of an inch taller after hanging upside down with the hammock for a couple of minutes and that lasts a few hours. For someone who might have back pain, just struggling with any kind of injuries with their back, their neck or shoulders, this can be something that’s really beneficial.”
And no need to worry if you’re a complete beginner, as Kenny reassures any wannabe aerial yogis that “you can actually invert and hang your body upside down but it requires no physical effort from you; the hammock is holding you at your hips”. The hammock “very much helps you”.
“You can do all these weird and wonderful things with it,” says the instructor, pointing to poses such as handstands that might not be “accessible without the hammock”.
So what can you expect if you decide to sign up for an aerial yoga class in the new year? The classroom is typically set up with a mirror, “which can be a bit strange when you’re used to doing regular yoga,” Kenny says. “Everybody is facing the mirror and I’m doing the class with you and we’re all going toward the mirror ... so you’re looking at me and I’m looking at you.
“I can walk around and give a little assist if I need to, but no more than in regular yoga, to be honest.”
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Acknowledging that “it can be a bit intimidating” at first “to trust that the hammock isn’t going to break ... people can be a bit apprehensive,” Kenny recommends that beginners “give it a few classes before deciding if it’s for you or not”.
Generally a class will “start in a standing position, doing lots of joint looseners”, and allowing participants to “warm up with the hammock”. To finish, you would always end the class with “a relaxation where you’re lying in the hammock”.
With “so much diversity within the one technique”, this might just be the perfect new hobby for you, Kenny concludes, whether it’s a “really hard and really sweaty class” that draws you in or you’re looking for something more chilled out and relaxing.
Nine to try: great hobbies for all skill levels
Padel
David Beckham, Serena Williams, Eva Longoria and even French president Emmanuel Macron count themselves as fans of this racket sport. Using the same scoring conventions as lawn tennis, padel is played on courts that are around a third smaller than a regular court. The game is mainly played in doubles format, with players using solid racquets with no strings. Courts are enclosed and, as in squash, players can bounce the ball off the walls. Padel balls are smaller than those used in tennis and players serve underarm. padelfederation.ie/clubs/find-your-local-club
Birdwatching
Grab your binoculars and discover the difference between a birder and a twitcher at one of Birdwatch Ireland’s many clubs, where you can attend talks, take walks and talk to other fanciers. Membership is from €30. You can also find links to avian sites in Ireland and around the world at irishbirding.com
Calligraphy
Not just a fancy way of writing, but an art form in itself, calligraphy is a meditative practice which requires attention to detail. Peannairí, the Association of Irish Calligraphers (calligraphy.ie), has all the information you need to get started. The National Print Museum (nationalprintmuseum.ie) also hosts regular workshops and classes.
Mountain biking
With several clubs situated around Ireland and events such as the National Championship for Downhill and Enduro to look forward to, Cycling Ireland has a wealth of information for mountain bike enthusiasts. cyclingireland.ie/cycling/mountain-bike
Orienteering
This challenging outdoor adventure sport can be enjoyed either recreationally or competitively. Orienteering is a timed race that involves navigation to a series of checkpoints using a detailed map. There are 19 clubs across Ireland and a jam-packed schedule for the year ahead. orienteering.ie
Ultimate Frisbee
The basic premise of this fast-paced, non-contact sport is to throw completed passes to your own team-mates until one of you catches the frisbee in the end zone you’re scoring into, all while the opposing team is attempting to stop you by intercepting a pass or pressuring you into throwing an incomplete pass.
Running, jumping, laying-out, and mastering different types of throws are some of the highlights. Ultimate Frisbee can be played outdoors, indoors and on sand (with slightly different rules for each). irishultimate.com/ultimate-frisbee
Pottery
If you love being creative and are not afraid to get messy, learning how to make your own ceramics might just be the perfect hobby for you. Throwing Shapes offers a clay oasis in Dublin 8, with their six-week courses for beginners spanning 15 hours. Learn the basics in hand building or wheel throwing techniques for €250 before going solo. throwingshapes.ie
Water polo
This team water sport requires speed and strength. Players must hit the ball into the back of their opponents’ net, all while treading water. A team consists of 13 athletes, with six field players and one goalkeeper in the water at any time. Other positions usually consist of a centre forward, a centre back, the two wing players and the two drivers. All players, with the exception of the goalkeeper, are only allowed to touch the ball with one hand at a time, and that includes catching, passing and shooting. swimireland.ie/disciplines/water-polo
Stargazing
Interested in gaining a better appreciation of Ireland’s starry skies? Join Astronomy Ireland from €60 at astronomy.ie. The Armagh Planetarium is a great spot for stargazing – see armagh.space – as is the Dunsink Observatory. Or head out into the blackest of nights at one of Ireland’s Dark Sky Parks – spots with minimal light pollution – in Mayo (mayodarkskypark.ie), Kerry (kerrydarkskytourism.com) and Omagh (omdarksky.com).
